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we’re bitter rivals” 











NANCY LEE’S 
SPRING TERM 


By 

MARGARET WARDE 

Author of 

The “Betty Wales' Books'* 
Nancy Lee 






Illustrated by 
Pemberton Ginther 





THE PENN PUBLISHING 
COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA 


MCMXIII 




^cUi 


CWPYEIGHT 
1913 BY 
THE PENN 
PGBUSHING 
COMPANY 



/ ^V" 

©CI.A354072 


Introduction 


The “ I-Forgot Girl who plays the leading part 
in this story made her first appearance in Nancy 
Lee” which tells about her coming to Fair Oaks 
School and her adventures there until she went 
home — in borrowed clothes — for her spring vaca- 
tion. There was begun the story of the Princess 
and of Prince Charming, who went to live with the 
Princess in her Enchanted Castle ; and there were 
introduced also the Terrible Twins, and Lloyd, 
Mary, Grace, Vera, and others, who appear again 
in this book. 

Maybe, when you get to the last page of this 
Spring Term story, you will think it ends too soon. 
Maybe you will want very much to know what 
happened next to Nancy and her friends and that 
adorable young person named Timmy. Well, you 
shall ! But you see those things don’t belong in 
the Spring Term story. They belong in Nancy 
Lee’s Summer,” which is the name of the third book 
about Miss I-Forgot ” Nancy Lee. Just to get you 
a little bit interested in it. I’ll tell you that the 
Terrible Twins have a part in Nancy’s summer 
adventures, and staid Margaret Lewis, and Lloyd 
3 


INTRODUCTION 

Mallory, also known as Miss Oddity and funny 
little Jeanne Durand from France, and Timmy, of 
course. No summer could be complete without 
Timmy. 

Margaret Warde. 


4 


Contents 


I. 

Spring Term Excitements 



9 

11. 

The Spring-Term Plaything . 



24 

III. 

The Order of Woodland Wanderers 


39 

IV. 

The Mystery of Mary 



51 

V. 

A House-Warming at “Seldom Inn 

yy 


65 

VI. 

A Plot and a Princess 



83 

VII. 

A Sacrifice to the Ogre . 



96 

VIII. 

That Improving Quotation 



108 

IX. 

The Honor of Fair Oaks 



123 

X. 

Not Wanted .... 



143 

XL 

Lost On Little Bubble . 



159 

XII. 

An I-Forgot Girl’s Adventure 



178 

XIII. 

Puppies and Naming Parties 



198 

XIV. 

A Nest-Egg for Timmy 



218 

XV. 

For Friendship’s Sake 



241 

XVI. 

A Race and a Robbery 



259 

XVII. 

Troublous Times ... 



282 

XVIII. 

The Great Decision 



305 

XIX. 

A Boy and a Dog 



324 

XX. 

Discovered: The Real Prince . 



343 

XXL 

Home and Mother for Timmy 



362 


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Illustrations 


PAGE 

“We’re Bitter Rivals ” . . . .Frontispiece ^ 

“ I Do Just Love Secrets and Mysteries ” . .48 

“ I Hope You’ve Decided Where We’d Better Go ” 102 ^ 

“ She’s Practiced A Lot ” 134 

“ Don’t You Like That Better ? ” . . .215 

“ Now, Look Again ” 275 

The Boy Sprang Forward 330 






Nancy Lee’s Spring Term. 


7 


I 


I 



Nancy Lee’s Spring Term 


CHAPTER I 

SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 

Hello, Jane-and-Christina ! May I come in ? 
cried Nancy Lee from the open door of the Learned 
Twins’ Unmixed Study. It was come-back day ” 
for spring term at Fair Oaks School, which meant 
that you must appear in your place at dinner, and 
until then might do exactly as you liked, though 
of course it was only sensible to spend the time 
unpacking. 

Of course, you old dear I ” little Christina as- 
sured Nancy, rushing over to give her a rapturous 
hug. 

“ It rather looks as if you’d have to sit on the 
floor,” added tall Jane, with a welcoming grin 
and a hearty hand-shake. I’ve unpacked all 
over the place, regardless. And what’s the news 
of N. Lee ? ” 

Nancy curled up comfortably on the floor, in a 
corner that had miraculously escaped the flood of 
9 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Jane’s possessions. I should think you had un- 
packed all over the place, Jane,” she observed 
gaily. '' You’d better call this the Mixed Study 
to-day. My trunk hasn’t come yet. Isn’t that 
perfectly maddening? Now I shall have to unpack 
in a regular rush to-morrow, and I’d meant to be 
so slow and careful and particular about it, for a 
good start at keeping things neat and tidy. Did 
you get my letter ? ” 

“ With the lovely tale of the crowning misad- 
ventures of an I-Forgot Girl,” Jane took her up, 
“ and resulting moral reflections. We did. And 
we are prepared to assist you, dear Triangler, to 
keep all your good resolutions and reform all your 
careless ways. Aren’t we, Christina darling ? ” 

I’m afraid we shan’t be much use helping 
about good resolutions,” said Christina doubtfully. 
“ It’s not a bit in the twins’ line.” 

Nonsense I ” said Jane loftily. What you 
have not done before, you can do again. That’s 
my motto, Christina, and you’d better adopt it. 
You may depend upon the Terrible Twins, Nancy. 
I haven’t worked out any system yet, but as soon 
as I have remedied the slight confusion pervading 
my usually immaculate apartments, I shall con- 
sider your case.” 

‘‘ Please do,” laughed Nancy. But remember 
I’m in dead earnest,” she added warningly. “ Miss 
10 


SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 

Marshall was awfully nice to me that last day, and 
I'm going to pay her up by trying like anything 
to be less scatter-brained." 

‘‘All right," said Jane, diving suddenly into 
her closet, “ only don’t, for goodness’ sake, be sol- 
emncholy about it. The twins won’t stand for 
that I I say, there’s a new teache^ of something 
or other this term." 

“Yes, and her name’s MacPherson," put in 
Christina, who was in the bedroom arranging her 
chiffonier drawers. 

“ Looks rather a jolly lot," called out Jane. 
“ Furthermore, Plain Mary has a new guardian, 
and she doesn’t like him." 

“ And Mildred Wallace has a little new brother," 
contributed Christina. 

“ Lots of excitements, when you consider that 
we’ve been gone just one little old week," observed 
Jane. 

“ Yes," agreed Nancy, jumping up suddenly. 
“ Good-bye, twins. Maybe my trunk has come 
now." 

“ It hasn’t," Nancy told herself in the corridor, 
“ because I’ve kept an eye out for it all the time, 
and besides, there’s no other train until evening. 
But if I sat around in there any longer with my 
hands folded, I should be homesick. I’m nearly 
there now. I’ve got to rush around and do some- 

II 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

thing fast I Maybe Grace will let me help her 
unpack/’ 

But as Nancy knew very well, her fastidious 
roommate was the last person in the world to let 
any one help her arrange her belongings — cer- 
tainly not any one with a tendency to ‘^rush 
around fast,” like Nancy Lee. So poor Nancy 
disconsolately wandered over to the Junior House, 
only to find Margaret Lewis, Mildred Wallace, 
Plain Mary Smith, and the rest all busily getting 
settled, very glad to see her, and very anxious to 
have her stay and talk to them while they worked. 

But I can’t,” objected Nancy half truthfully, 
because my trunk might come any minute.” 

Back in the big dormitory she stopped to wel- 
come the smallest waif-and-stray, Sarah Stuart, 
who hopped up and down with joyous excitement 
at sight of her dearest school friend. 

The poor Princess is sick again,” Sarah told 
Nancy eagerly. ‘^Thomas the gardener said so. 
He said she came to the fence one day and asked 
for her Real Girls. And when Thomas told her 
that we’d all gone away, she cried and wouldn’t 
believe him and said they were hiding us from 
her somewhere. Just to think of that, Nancy, 
when she gave us a going-away good-bye party 
her own self. Why, she’s as forgetful as our old 
cook I Cook forgot to feed Annette one day, and 
12 


SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 


poor Annette mewed and mewed till Cook remem- 
bered. I hope the Princess always remembers to 
feed Prince Charming. When can we go to see 
the Princess, Nancy ? 

Oh, some day soon,’' promised Nancy rather 
crossly, for Sarah’s chatter made her feel more 
fidgety than ever. I must go now, Sarah.” 

“ Oh, and when you were away, did you think 
of any new stories?” began little Sarah anxiously. 
But Nancy had already shut the door. 

She climbed the two flights of stairs very slowly. 
“ I’d like to go in and see Lloyd Mallory,” she 
thought, considering what to do next. But I 
couldn’t stand it to talk to Kittie Westervelt 
to-day. She’s sure to have a lot of new clothes, 
and she’ll want to spread them all out for me to 
admire. And I don’t feel like admiring anything. 
Oh, dear I If only brother Dick’s puppy was here 
to play with me, wouldn’t we just race down this 
hall I Why, there’s a trunk in front of the room 
Margaret Lewis used to have I Perhaps Lloyd 
has moved in there this term. No, that’s not her 

trunk. Why, I wonder ” 

A queer little noise coming from behind the 
door that had been Margaret’s until she moved 
into the Junior House, brought Nancy’s reflections 
to an abrupt pause. 

Sounds like crying.” Nancy considered doubt- 
13 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

fully. “ Well, it won't do any great harm to 
knock." Nancy suited the action to the word. 

Inside somebody said something in a choked 
little voice. It certainly wasn’t “ Come in ’’ ; it 
might have been Go away." Nancy considered 
again, staring thoughtfully at the trunk, which 
didn’t look like any she had seen around the cor- 
ridors before. It was little and black and shiny, 
and down the edges were rows of big brass-headed 
nails. 

I’m sure it’s a new girl," she decided swiftl3\ 
Maybe she’s little like Sarah, and will want to 
tag along. If I go in now, I shall sort of have to 
be friends — that is, if she wants to be. Well, she’s 
certainly crying, poor thing ! So here goes." 

Again Nancy knocked, and again the choked 
little voice answered something that was not 
come in. But Nancy calmly opened the door a 
little way. I wondered who’s rooming here this 
term," she began politely. “ You did say to come 
in, didn’t you?" 

Sit, please," drawled the choked little voice 
from the farther end of the room. 

It was a queer answer, Nancy thought ; but on 
the strength of it she opened the door wider and 
stepped inside. Balanced on the edge of a straight- 
backed chair as though poised for flight, her dark 
eyes bright with fear, like a cornered animal’s, and 
14 


SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 

her small hands clasping and unclasping nervously 
round a damp ball of handkerchief in her lap, sat 
a slender, dark-haired, tear-stained girl, about 
Nancy’s age, dressed all in somber black. 

Oh, you’re a new girl, aren’t you ? ” smiled 
Nancy, holding out her hand. “ I’m an old one 
— that is, I’ve been here two terms now. But I’m 
pretty nearly homesick to-day, all the same, so I’m 
wandering around trying to forget about it. I 
hope you don’t mind my coming in on you like 
this.” 

The girl in the chair stared solemnly up at 
Nancy, twisting her handkerchief harder than 
ever, and said never a word. 

Shall I sit down here ? ” asked Nancy, point- 
ing at the little white bed. We all sit on beds 
here, but perhaps, if you’re not used to it, you’d 
rather I took a chair.” Nancy sank into the one 
nearest her, while the new girl still stared in 
silence. 

Were you ever at boarding-school before ? ” 
asked Nancy, beginning to feel decidedly awkward, 
and very much in the way. Still no answer. The 
new girl’s frightened expression was growing posi- 
tively haunting in its intensity, and Nancy felt 
her own face stiffening into lines of acute dismay. 

Oh, please say something,” she burst out 
suddenly. “ Please do say something quick I 

15 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

You — you^ll really make me feel as frightened as 
you look, if you go on sitting there so still/’ 

The girl in the chair leaned forward in answer 
to the appeal in Nancy’s voice. “ Ah, but I cannot 
spik ze Anglais,” she said, with a woebegone little 
smile. “ I study heem, but when I wish to say ” 
— she made a funny little gesture of confusion — 
I have not ze words.” 

It was Nancy’s turn to stare. You mean,” she 
began at last, “ that you’re a foreigner ? ” 
Frangaise,^’ nodded the new girl. 

And you’ve come to Fair Oaks School ? ” 

Yes, I go to ze school to learn ze ways Ameri- 
caineSj^' assented the girl. 

Why — why, how perfectly jolly ! ” cried en- 
thusiastic Nancy, as the possibilities of the situation 
suddenly broke upon her. Not counting Madame 
Lamark and Mademoiselle, whose English was 
perfect, Nancy had never known any foreigners 
except a Greek fruit- vender and a Swedish kitchen 
maid or two ; and the idea of having a French 
schoolmate fired her romantic little soul. 

‘‘You’ve come straight from France ?” she de- 
manded eagerly. 

“ Oh, yes,” nodded the little foreigner. 

“ How long ago ? ” 

“ One month only.” 

“Isn’t that perfectly splendid!” cried Nancy 

i6 


SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 


again. Why, you don^t know much of anything 
about America, do you? It will be a regular 
circus, teaching you English. And we can learn 
French from you. That will be lots more fun than 
learning it from Mademoiselle. I wonder if they’ll 
have you sit at the French table. Why don’t you 
begin to unpack ? Then maybe you won’t feel so 
weepy.” 

“ I do not comp’rend ver’ well,” suggested the 
little French girl politely, when excited Nancy 
came at last to a full stop. 

Nancy laughed. Oh, I never thought — of 
course you wouldn’t understand a muddle of talk 
like that. The only important thing I said was, 
why don’t you begin to unpack ? ” 

Begeen to — what you say ? ” 

“ Unpack,” repeated Nancy. Don’t you under- 
stand unpack ? Oh, dear, what is the French for 
it? It means take out your clothes, you know.” 
Then, as the new girl continued to wear her puzzled 
little frown, Wait a minute,” commanded Nancy, 
while I ” And off she flew down the cor- 

ridor, leaving the French girl staring after her in 
demure amazement. 

I want my French dictionary,” cried Nancy 
breathlessly to Grace Allen. There’s a new girl, 
and she can’t talk English. Don’t you want to 
come and see her ? ” 


17 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


Your trunk began deliberate Grace, but 

Nancy was half-way down the hall, the dictionary 
dangling by its cover in her hand, while most of 
the books on the shelf with it were cascading 
noisily to the floor. 

Unpack did not appear in Nancy^s dictionary. 

“ The words you want never do,^’ grumbled its 
owner. 

But between halting explanations and vivid 
pantomime enacted above the trunk-lid, Nancy 
finally made her meaning clear. 

“ Only it’s rather late to begin now,’' she added 
hastily, repressing her companion’s zeal to carry 
out instructions at once. Unpack ce soir — aprei 
le diner. Maintenant parlez avec moi. Understand ? 
I guess you never heard such awful French, did 
you ? ” 

‘‘ Ah no, mademoiselle ! ” assented the French 
girl with a merry laugh. ‘‘ It es like my Anglais.” 

‘‘ My name is Nancy Lee,” explained Nancy 
abruptly, because being referred to as mademoiselle 
made her feel queer. What’s yours ? ” 

“ Jeanne Durand.” 

“ How pretty ! But you make everything sound 
pretty, the way you say it. Now talk some French 
to me, and see if I can understand you.” 

It took half an hour and more pantomime for 
Mademoiselle Jeanne to explain to Nancy that her 

i8 


SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 


home was in Amiens, that she had been once to 
Paris, that she was in mourning for her father, and 
that her uncle, who lived in New York, was send- 
ing her to Fair Oaks. The reason for this rather 
extraordinary arrangement Nancy pretended to 
understand, though she did not at all ; for, just as 
Jeanne reached that point in her story, the dress- 
ing-bell rang, and an explanatoin of that to Jeanne 
was immediately in order. 

“ 1^11 be back to take you down-stairs,” Nancy 
promised finally, and had to substitute the simpler 
‘‘Wait for me here ” before Jeanne’s face lighted 
with understanding, and she was free to rush back 
to the Unmixed Study. 

“ All your little trifling news isn’t in it with 
mine, twins,” she began breathlessly. “ There’s 
a girl down the hall who can’t talk any more 
English than I can French.” 

“ Then she must be pretty nearly dumb in 
English,” said Jane coolly. 

“But why can’t she talk English, Nancy?” 
demanded little Christina, deeply puzzled. 

“ Wait a minute, Christina,” commanded Jane. 
“ Miss I-Forgot, where’s your trunk check? ” 

“Why, I — I gave it to Thomas,” said Nancy. 

“ You dropped it on the floor of this Unmixed 
Study,” corrected Jane severely. “ If the gentle 
Christina hadn’t happened to begin to clear up at 
19 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


that particular corner — she waved at the place 
where Nancy had sat that afternoon — it might be 
here yet. As, it is, your trunk has been awaiting 
your distinguished attention for fully half an 
hour.^' 

Really ? Oh, I ought to have looked ! Thank 
you both very much,’^ said Nancy meekly. 

“ Quite welcome. Miss I-Forgot,’’ went on Jane. 
‘‘ If Christina hadnT found the check, and if I 
hadnT handed it to Thomas with such a haughty 
air that he asked no embarrassing questions, you’d 
be involved in another beautiful episode. Trunk 
reported lost ; wild telephones to station ; in- 
terviewing of the faultless Thomas ; complete for- 
gettery of Nancy Lee once more revealed to the 
public gaze, instead of being, as at present, the 
secret of the sacred Triangle. Think what you 
owe us, Nancy ! ” 

I’m thinking hard,” agreed Nancy promptly, 
and in return I’ll share the little French girl — 
we’ll have her for a new waif-and-stray. She’s the 
best you ever dreamed of, girls ! Come this minute 
and help me get her down to dinner.” 

After that there was no chance for Nancy 
to develop homesickness. Jane’s attempts to talk 
French with Jeanne on the way to dinner were 
convulsing. Down-stairs the little French girl, 
with the musical voice, the big, frightened eyes, 
20 


SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 


and the deep mourning, made a decided sensation. 
Several Fair Oaks girls spoke excellent French, 
and could chat with the newcomer as easily as with 
their other schoolmates. But Jeanne clung tim- 
idly to Nancy, whom she seemed to regard as her 
destined protector from the embarrassingly frank 
interest of these strange, noisy American girls. 

“ There, Nancy Lee I ” complained Kittie Wester- 
velt, with one of her deepest sighs. “ YouVe gone 
and made another queer friend. She^s interesting, 
but she wonT fit in at all with our crowd. Between 
her and Lloyd and Sarah Williston, I shan’t expect 
to see anything of you this term.” 

Nancy laughed. I don’t think you need worry, 
Kittie. I always seem to have time for more friends 
and more fun. It’s work and responsibility about 
things that get crowded out with me.” 

'' What sports are you going to take up this 
term ? ” asked Kittie anxiously. 

Why, I hadn’t thought,” returned Nancy 
doubtfully, just as Billy Bray stepped up to them. 

Will you go out for the Red Crew, Nancy ? ” 
asked that popular senior. ought to explain 
that I’m asking several girls to practice with us, 
and there may be only one vacancy in our boat. 

But if you cared to try, on the chance ” 

“ I should think I do care to try,” broke in 
Nancy eagerly. To be on the Red Crew — ‘^Billy’s 
21 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Invincibles ’’ they were oftener called — was Nancy’s 
highest ambition for her Fair Oaks career. 

Then watch for the practice notices,” said Billy 
nonchalantly, and departed. 

I was going to tell you,” — Kittie returned to 
her point, — that Vera Lawson is planning to take 
up archery — we’re to have that introduced here 
this term — and riding. She thought our junior 
crowd might like to know. Every one is riding 
nowadays, Vera says, and archery is so quaint and 
picturesque.” 

I’d planned to take swimming lessons,” said 
Nancy. Indeed I think you are required to, if 
you’re on a crew. And I can’t bear to give up 
tennis entirely. And father said I might have 
riding lessons, if the other girls did. Oh, dear, 
there’s almost too much fun here, isn’t there ? ” 
Just then Miss Marshall called the chattering 
crowd of girls to order, while she introduced the 
new teacher. Miss MacPherson. She was not ex- 
actly a new teacher ; she was to be Mistress of Games, 
Miss Marshall told them ; that is, she would have 
supervision of all the school sports and outdoor 
activities. 

^‘You’ll find her a splendid playfellow, I’m 
sure,” Miss Marshall ended, with a smile for 
the new mistress. I’ve also brought you a new 
spring-term plaything that I hope you’ll enjoy. 

22 


SPRING TERM EXCITEMENTS 


But to-morrow or the day after will be time enough 
to talk about that.’^ 

So we’ve something to guess about,” Nancy 
wrote that night in the Red Journal, on a page 
that she had conspicuously lettered New Leaf.” 

I love to guess. And I love foreign girls. I’m 
going to ask father to take me traveling in for- 
eign countries, as soon as ever I’m through school. 

I’ve had an elegant time to-day, and avoided 
being homesick, and made a new friend, and 
learned some French. It was ^ Entrez ’ Jeanne 
said that sounded like ‘Go away.’ But I shall 
have to turn over another New Leaf the very first 
thing to-morrow. 

“ N. B. Jane didn’t help me not to be careless. 
She just covered it up. And now that I think it 
over, I wonder if you ought to call that helping 
or hindering. Anyway I’m most awfully happy 
to-night. — N. Lee.” 


23 


CHAPTER II 


THE SPRING-TERM PLAYTHING 

The next day was gray and raw and windy — a 
very un-spring-like beginning for spring term. 
Half the school, it seemed, were afflicted with 
colds or headojches, and the rest grumbled loudly 
at the weather. Not so the new Mistress of Games. 

In Scotland, where I come from,^^ she told 
them merrily, we are never for minding a bit o^ 
mist,*^ and she proceeded to organize a paper-chase 
among the able-bodied contingent, with the Hares 
and Hounds named and all sorts of special rules 
and penalties to add the zest of novelty to the old 
game. The Hares ran along the lake shore, then 
up over Sunset Hill, and took to their burrows 
in a sheltered grove under the hill-crest, where 
the Hounds, who had given their prey ten min- 
utes^ start and were seventeen minutes behind at 
“ the burrows,^^ were officially declared beaten. 

I couldnT run another inch,’^ panted Plain 
Mary Smith, dropping limply down on a big 
stone, and refusing to bestir herself even over 
Margaret Lewis’s exciting discovery of fuzzy hepat- 
ica buds pricking up among the dry leaves. 

24 


THE SPRING-TERM PLATTHING 


Are you fond of hard exercise ? ” asked Miss 
MacPherson, with a sympathetic smile for the fat 
Hound. 

No, I — hate — it,'^ panted Plain Mary sardon- 
ically, “ but I thought I’d like to grow a little 
thinner this spring.” 

“ I wanted awfully to ask her what were the 
most thinning sports,” Plain Mary confided to 
Nancy and Margaret Lewis on the walk home. 
'' But I was afraid she’d laugh. What do you two 
think?” 

“ Tennis singles against a champion like Nancy,” 
laughed Margaret, is about as strenuous as any- 
thing I can think of.” 

‘'Oh, will you play with me then, Nancy?” 
begged Plain Mary. " You see,” she added, with 
a violent blush, " I lost two pounds last term, but 
I gained it all back and some extra in vacation. 
And then — now I’ve decided that I’m altogether 
too stout.” 

" I’ll play tennis with you gladly,” Nancy 
promised, " that is, on days when the crews aren’t 
practicing.” 

" Oh, are you going out for the Reds too ? ” 
asked Margaret. " If so, of course we’re bitter 
rivals, Nancy, for Billy asked me to try.” 

" Good for you ! ” said Nancy, trying to speak 
heartily, but inwardly feeling that her chance of 
25 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


being an Invincible was as good as lost. Margaret 
was such a splendid all-around girl. Of course 
she would row as well as she did everything else, 
and if there was only one seat vacant in the In- 
vincibles’ boat, Margaret would surely be chosen 
to fill it. 

‘‘ Mildred Wallace is going to try too,^^ Margaret 
told her, “ and several others, I suppose. Rita 
Evans had a chance and refused. Imagine that I 
My chance is pretty slim, I guess, against you ; 
but I^m going to hang on to it,’^ declared Nancy 
stoutly. 

Oh, how I should love to be slim like your 
chance ! sighed Plain Mary, with such a comical 
air of earnestness that both Nancy and Margaret 
laughed. 

“Some are born slim,^^ Margaret paraphrased 
merrily, “ some achieve slimness, and some have 
slimness thrust upon them. I^m afraid you’ll 
have to achieve it, Mary, by much tennis and no 
desserts. But why this sudden anxiety about your 
figure ? ” 

“ That’s what I want to know,” chimed in 
Nancy gaily. “ Are you going to join the Fashion 
Plates, Mary ? Or are you in love, and do you 
think you ought to pine away a little to prove 
it?” 

But Plain Mary blushed hotly at their accusa- 
26 


THE SPRING-TERM PLATTHING 


tions and refused to confess to any ulterior 
motive. 

Nobody wants to be as big as a barrel/’ she 
declared sadly, — a statement which, considering 
her former indifference to the matter, Margaret 
and Nancy did not find very convincing. 

Little Christina had a frightful cold, and Jane 
had gallantly discovered symptoms of invalidism 
in herself, so that she might stay in with her twin 
for company. But by the time the Hares and 
Hounds got back, Jane had so far recovered that 
she had assembled Kittie Westervelt, Lloyd Mal- 
lory, Grace Allen, and Jeanne Durand in the 
Unmixed Study, and was preparing, in the depths 
of her closet, to give a Peerless Presentation of 
the Frabjous Tortoise, a creature as raptly comical 
and highly enlivening as the Franulated Mufilin 
is tragic and terrific.” 

Upon the arrival of Nancy and Margaret Lewis, 
Jane emerged from the closet, looking quite her- 
self, except that her wispy hair was rather more 
disheveled than usual, and announced that the 
Peerless Presentation had been postponed. 

There is a hostile infiuence abroad,” she de- 
clared, gesturing impressively at the newcomers. 

The sweet frabjous creature will not cavort.” 

“ There was nothing to it anyhow,” Jane whis- 
pered in an aside to Nancy, who had begged her to 
27 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

go on. I just felt like stirring them up, and see- 
ing their eyes pop. But then I decided that dress- 
ing up for that bunch was too much bother. I 
say,'' she added aloud, let's all guess on Miss 
Marshall's spring-term present." 

“ We've been doing that all day," objected Grace 
Allen, who resented the summary postponement 
of the Peerless Presentation. 

Well, then let's — let's institute a reform," went 
on Jane, nothing daunted by Grace's opposition. 

Let's get it ready now, and hop up and suggest it 
at to-night's Assembly. By the way, you athletes 
don't know about to-night's Assembly. While 
you were away. Miss Marshall sent her Mary Ann 
around to announce it. Guess she thought every- 
body needed cheering up." 

‘‘ But what has that to do with instituting a re- 
form?" demanded Margaret in puzzled tones. 

Jane sighed. Must I add two and two for you, 
creature of no imagination ? No wonder the Frab- 
jous Tortoise refused to cavort before you ! At to- 
night's Assembly Miss Marshall will undoubtedly 
announce to us her spring-term present. Then up 
gets some busy talker like yourself, and speaks 
thus : ^ In view of your great kindness, dear Miss 
Marshall, in providing us with such a beautiful 
innovation, we feel that we too ought to contribute 
something to the improvement of our beloved 
28 


THE SPRING-TERM PLATTHING 


school. We therefore respectfully suggest ^ 

Jane paused, and looked at Margaret. “That 
feather sticker on your hat is done for, my dear.’^ 

“ I know it, said Margaret sadly ; “I caught it 
on a blackberry bramble while I was picking 
hepaticas. And this is my only plain hat.” 

“ And your lid is altogether too flossy to match 
up with a sweater, N. Lee,” went on Jane calmly. 

“ Yes,” agreed Nancy. “ I wanted a Panama 
hat this spring but I couldn't have it. They're so 
expensive just to play around in.” 

“ Vera Lawson's cost seventeen dollars,” contrib- 
uted Kittie Westervelt knowingly. 

“ That's eighty-flve francs, Jeanne,” explained 
Jane, “_pour un chapeau sans lesfleurs ou les oiseaux 
ou les ruham, Terriblej n^est ce pas f ” 

“How about the reform, Jane?” interrupted 
Grace Allen severely. 

Jane smiled at her rapturously, through half- 
closed eyes. “ Seventeen, thirty-nine, fifty-seven,” 
she repeated slowly. Don't you see the reform 
developing, Grace? Can't you feel it in the air 
about you ? It's a dress reform, of course — a new 
outing costume for spring term, so that all can be 
appropriately arrayed — for next to working. Bat- 
ting hats and batting blouses, total cost fifty-seven 
cents. That's nearly three francs, Jeanne— ^rois 
francs pour un chapeau et une blouse. The sewing 
29 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


class can make the blouses, and the Stick-by-Your- 
Own-Hat Society shall be a committee to discover 
a species of near-Panama that will make Vera 
Lawson wish she^d kept her seventeen large round 
dollars for something she really wanted.” 

“ It would be fun to have a sort of picnic uni- 
form,” agreed Nancy eagerly. 

“ But we don^t want anything so cheap and 
homely as fifty-seven cents would buy,” declared 
Kittie with horror-struck decision. 

“ No,” agreed Grace Allen, “ and I don^t see why 
we need make a point of the cost at all. Let each 
girl spend what she pleases.” 

“ But it will be more fun to do it for next to 
nothing,” Jane informed her crushingly, and also 
much more reforming. Any old school can have 
an official batting costume, but only Fair Oaks is 
clever enough to do it on fifty-seven cents. Are 
you for it, Lloyd ? Christina darling, please ex- 
plain it all out in French. It would take me the 
rest of the day to think of all the words. Margaret, 
you J1 have to be the one to speak up in Assembly, 
because you can talk like a book. My slang would 
make any reform sound as frivolous as — as Kittie’s 
curls. Now scatter, all of you, and get everybody 
keen on dress reform. Vll do the Frabjous Tor- 
toise for you the very next rainy day. Cross my 
frabjous heart !” 


30 


THE SPRING-TERM PLATTHING 


So the Assembly before the gym. fire that night 
talked batting '' hats and “ batting ” blouses ; 
discussed Mildred Wallace’s astounding declaration 
that there were lovely “ near-Panamas ” to be had 
at the ten-cent store ; zestfully debated the advan- 
tage of ‘‘jumpers ” and tailored shirt-waists and the 
purchasing power, in linen, of fifty-seven cents ; 
and sighed with relief that, even if Miss Marshall’s 
“ new toy ” proved disappointing, there would still 
be an excitement to end the dull day. 

But Miss Marshall wasn’t disappointing. 

“ You can pretty nearly trust her to makegood,” 
said Jane Learned. “ She’s no fossil like poor Miss 
Cripps, living in a musty past. She understands 
the word girl, just as it’s spelled to-day.” 

“ The new plaything,” Miss Marshall began at 
last from her seat behind the silver coffee urn, “ is 
a bungalow.” 

Bursts of applause greeted the announcement. 
There was not a Fair Oaks girl that year who 
didn’t “just adore ” bungalows, though she might 
be a little hazy about the exact meaning of the 
term. If Miss Marshall had said “ one-story | 
cottage,” half the glamour would have been brushed 
away from the new toy. 

“ Oh, where is it ? ” 

“ Can’t we see it right off? ” 

“ How are we to play with it ? ” 

31 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


“ Is it big enough to hold us all ? 

Miss Marshall laughingly put up her hands, as 
though to fend off the flood of eager questions. 

It’s a tiny house in the woods,” she went on, 
when the girls would let her, on the shores of a 
little lake called Bubble Pond. It’s half an hour 
by train from here, with a two-mile walk or drive 
after that. The house is new — plain and unpre- 
tentious but pretty, I think ; and it needs every- 
thing from a name and a coat of paint of exactly 
the right color, to furnishings, curtains, kitchen 
utensils, and a garden fitted into the woods that 
grow up to its very doors. 

We will go out on a tour of inspection soon — 
the house will hold us all for a day, I think, pro- 
vided we are friendly enough not to mind being a 
little crowded. Meanwhile here are pictures, plans, 
and a statement of the amount I care to invest in 
adding the finishing touches to our bungalow. I 
shall depend upon you all to help me make it the 
prettiest, most convenient little house-in-the-woods 
that was ever fitted up for so modest a sum of 
money. Now that’s how you are to play with my 
house — our house. Shall you enjoy it, do you 
think ? Oh, yes, and when it is finished, you 
may form groups and take turns giving house- 
parties out there, with the various teachers as 
guests.” 


32 


THE SPRING-TERM PLATTHING 


There was more applause and a tumult of new 
questions. 

“ When can we begin ? ” 

How soon must we finish ? 

“Are we to choose whatever we all vote for?^' 

“ WouldnT it be better to divide up into special 
committees in charge of the different parts of the 
work ? 

“ May we ask the teachers to help us ? 

“ Where can we find out about prices ? 

“ How can we do anything about your house 
without knowing your ideas for furnishing it ? 

Again Miss Marshall put out her hand for 
silence. 

“ Girls/^ she told them laughingly, “ nobody can 
accuse you of being impractical young dreamers. 
You are picking out all the complexities and an- 
ticipating all the difficulties in my scheme — and 

it^s full of both, I’ll admit. But Well, what 

is it. Miss Wallace ? ” she demanded of sandy-haired 
Mildred, who was sitting on the floor at her feet, 
and who was making it evident by the play of her 
mobile little face that she wanted desperately to 
say something. 

“ Oh, Miss Marshall,” began Mildred, overcome 
with embarrassment at being publicly addressed, “ I 
was just thinking that worth-while playthings — 
the kind that you’d be sure to give us — generally 
33 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


have a good deal of hard work in them too. I was 
thinking that we should learn a lot out of your 
bungalow — more than they've learned here in other 
spring terms." 

Everybody laughed at Mildred's comical, down- 
right way of announcing her discovery. 

“ You've found me out, Miss Wallace," Miss 
Marshall told her. I had meant to explain a 
little later that the bungalow course was really 
a series of lessons in assorted domestic sciences — 
that I hoped you would learn something about 
house-furnishing, marketing, cooking, and garden- 
ing, besides a little about our native wild flowers 
and our forest trees, and that you would And the 
lessons more profitable, as well as pleasanter, than 
such lessons generally are. As Miss Wallace has 
said, all playthings worth having involve work as 
well as fun ; so there's really no use in trying to 
hide, even for a little while at first, the fact that 
owning a bungalow is like owning anything else in 
this world. It's a bother ! Now, with your eyes 
open, do you vote to be bothered with a bungalow ? " 

The vote was unanimous and noisily enthusi- 
astic. When the confusion had subsided a little, 
Margaret Lewis, rising in her place by the fire, 
made a graceful little speech about Jane's reform. 
This time it was only the teachers who were sur- 
prised, for Jane and her friends had spread the 
34 


THE SPRING-TERM PLATTHING 

news of the plan broadcast among the girls, find- 
ing them all in favor of it except Vera Lawson, 
Kittie, and the other Fashion Plates, who objected 
that they had clothes enough for all occasions and 
no use at all for a cheap and ugly uniform. 

Miss Marshall was as delighted with the idea 
as Jane had been when Margaret's draggled feather 
had opportunely put it into her head. 

The very thing to wear on our bungalow 
parties!" she exclaimed. ^‘Making the shirts 
will give the sewing classes a part in the bungalow 
course, and if the Stick-by-Your-Own-Hat Club " — 
Miss Marshall twinkled merrily at Jane as she 
pronounced the absurd name — if the Stick-by 
Your-Own-Hat Club will act as committee on the 
subject of millinery, and report as soon as practi- 
cable, I — we all shall be much in their debt." 
Miss Marshall looked around the circle of intent, 
happy faces. I've never cared much about the 
regular sort of school uniform," she told them, 
“ but a " 

‘‘Batting uniform," supplied Jane helpfully 
before she thought, and was instantly overcome 
by confusion. 

“ We might say outing costume," suggested Miss 
Marshall, with a smile for poor blushing Jane. 
“ An official outing costume that costs fifty-seven 
cents, and is sensible and becoming into the 
35 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


bargain, — especially since the suggestion comes 
straight from you girls, — will please me more 
than I can say. It will typify exactly the sort 
of school spirit that I want to cultivate here at 
Fair Oaks — the spirit of working together for the 
happiness and best interests of all.’^ 

There was a pause, broken abruptly by Mildred 
Wallace. Fve been thinking,’’ she announced 
in her funny, quick way, “ that jumpers will go 
on much quicker than shirt-waists — at the bunga- 
low, you know, when we’re hurrying to dress and 
to cook breakfast for our faculty guests.” 

“Then I move for jumpers,” cried Jane, and 
everybody laughed and cried “ Jumpers for us,” 
“ Jumpers forever,” as the Assembly broke up in 
a mood of irresponsible gaiety. 

On the way back to the dormitory Nancy found 
herself beside Vera Lawson. 

“Isn’t it all just splendid!” sparkled Nancy, 
smiling up into Vera’s lovely, impassive face. 
“Don’t you ever get excited and — oh, just ready 
to boil over, Vera? ” 

Vera smiled placidly back at Nancy. “ Not over 
a silly little summer cottage, certainly,” she said. 
“ We all have summer places of our own, I sup- 
pose. If Miss Marshall wants hers attractively 
furnished, why doesn’t she put it into the hands 
of some New York decorator, as any of our families 
36 


THE SPRING-TERM PLAYTHING 


would do ? As for the outing costume, I positively 
refuse to be made a fright ofT And with another 
smile and a shrug, Vera turned away, leaving Nancy 
sorely puzzled. The Lees had a summer place up 
on the Maine Coast. Nancy didn’t know who 
had chosen the furnishings, and she couldn’t see, 
anyway, what that had to do with Miss Marshall’s 
lovely plan. If Vera didn’t think it was fun to fix 
up a bungalow, what was her idea of fun ? Nancy 
was thinking so hard that she came round a 
corner and bumped bang into Plain Mary Smith, 
who had a perfect passion for running into people. 

Oh, I’m sorry,” gasped Mary contritely. “ I 
was thinking about something, and I didn’t see 
you. I suppose you were thinking too. I’m 
going to make my batting jumper just as tight as 
I can squeeze into it.” 

Oh, I wouldn’t, Mary,” advised Nancy. If 
it’s too small, it will only make you look stouter 
than usual.” 

Will it? ” sighed Mary. “ I never thought of 
that. I just thought having it a tight fit would 
be an added incentive to grow thin.” 

Nancy laughed. Have you lost weight to- 
day?” 

A quarter of a pound,” announced Mary 
solemnly, “ unless the scales in the gym. are dif- 
ferent from those at home.” 

37 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Please tell me why you want so much to grow 
thin,” begged Nancy. 

Nobody wants to look like a barrel,” muttered 
Plain Mary, and hurried off to her room. 

Nancy stared after her frowningly. There’s 
a mystery about Plain Mary,” she reflected. “ I 
must get Jane started on it. She’s such a wonder 
at finding things out.’^ 


38 


CHAPTER III 


THE ORDER OF WOODLAND WANDERERS 

Spring just wouldn’t come at Fair Oaks — unless 
you could call April showers, so cold and bleak 
that they turned into snow flurries every once in 
a while, spring-like. Even Miss MacPherson’s 
Scotch heart quailed before such a persistent and 
frigid downpour, and recreation hours were spent 
in the gym. dancing or playing basket-ball, ex- 
actly as we did all last term,” wailed Kittie West- 
ervelt gloomily. '' And I thought I should really 
enjoy archery, for all I’m not athletic.” 

The only consolation — and that was cold comfort 
for Kittie — was that the rainy afternoons were 
ideal for sewing on the Ofiicial Outing Costume. 
Miss Marshall allowed the sewing classes to hold 
special sessions, extra long and quite informal, and 
by the end of that horrid wet week almost every 
Fair Oaks girl was the proud possessor of a white 
linen jumper, with tie and pipings of her favorite 
color. Some of the defter seamstresses had even 
finished two, besides lending a helping hand to the 
smallest boarders, who had mastered only plain 
sewing,” but who would have been broken-hearted 
39 


t 

NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

to be excluded from the pleasant bustle that 
centered around the Fair Oaks batting costume.’^ 
Meanwhile the Stick-by-Your-Own-Hat Club 
had braved the elements and followed Mildred^s 
lead to the ten-cent store, where they had dis- 
covered a most wonderful species of near-Pan- 
ama,^^ soft and floppy but not slouchy, and 
universally becoming. Madame Lamark had out- 
done herself in designing natty bows for those 
who wanted bows, and suggesting original color- 
schemes for bands, when bands were preferred. 
Even Vera, Kittie, and the Fashion Plates had to 
admit, sulkily or sheepishly according to their dis- 
positions, that the flfty-seven-cent outing costume 
was, to quote Jane Learned, a perfectly howling 
success. 

One afternoon at the end of the rainy week, 
Nancy Lee appeared at the door of the Unmixed 
Study, her usually merry face overspread with a 
cloud of black despair. 

Oh, Christina ! she called. See what IVe 
done now ! 

She can’t — not at present, anyhow,” returned 
Jane’s shrill voice from the bedroom beyond the 
study. She’s attending Miss Courtney’s select 
soir6e for stupids, getting extra coaching on bino- 
mial theorem.” 

Poor little thing I ” sympathized Nancy. 

40 


WOODLAND WANDERERS 

“ Well, I did my best for her, I'm sure," bristled 
Jane, coming out into the study. I explained 
and explained. How I shall ever pull Christina 
through the Higher Mathematics I really don't see." 

It's a great responsibility being a twin, isn't 
it ? " said Nancy solemnly. 

It is," agreed Jane, '' at least for the big twin. 
And I suppose Christina worries about my Order- 
and-Neatness and Deportment marks as much as I 
do about her Math." 

Maybe if you were more alike " began 

Nancy. 

Great hat, Nancy Lee!" broke in Jane im- 
patiently. Do you think I could love a big, 
messy, awkward thing like me as I do Christina ? 
And if I weren't big and masterly and used to 
looking out for two, how would Christina ever 
manage? No, thank you, N. Lee; the twins are 
very well satisfied as they are, if you please. Now 
what did you want Christina to see ? Mayn't I see 
it, or isn't it in my line ? " 

Nancy laughed. “ It's exactly in your line, 
Jane. That is, it's exactly the kind of thing you 
do, but I thought Christina could help me to fix 
it, perhaps. At least — no, I'm sure there's no way 
of fixing it. It's just ruined, and that's all you 
can say about it I " Nancy's voice grew tragic, as 
she spread out the jumper she was carrying over 

41 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


her arm to display a big, three-cornered cut on the 
very top of the left sleeve. It’s ruined ! ” repeated 
Nancy forlornly. “ I shall have to make another. 
I don’t mind the extra work, but I do hate to have 
everybody know that I was so careless.” 

Jane scrutinized the sleeve near-sightedly. 

How’d you do it?” she demanded. 

“ Oh, I was snipping off the rough edges around 
the armhole,” explained Nancy, and somehow 
my scissors slipped. They were Grace’s scissors, 
and awfully sharp, because she won’t ever use 
them to cut paper with, or picture-wire. And in 
an instant they’d done that.” 

Jane smiled wickedly. Then it’s all Grace’s 
fault, being so tight with her sharp scissors. Make 
her mend it for you. She’s a truly beautiful 
mender. And if anybody notices it, you can quote 
Miss Marshall to the effect that a tear neatly 
mended is a work of art.” 

But that’s not a tear,” wailed Nancy. You 
don’t get tears up there. Besides, I most certainly 
couldn’t ask Grace to mend it, and even if I did, it 
would show, and — oh, it’s ruined, that’s all.” 

“ Well, anyhow, you don’t have to make a whole 
new jumper,” announced Jane, with the air of 
having at last made a valuable discovery. All 
you need is one new sleeve.” 

'' But one sleeve takes cloth,” objected Nancy, 
42 


WOODLAND WANDERERS 


still disconsolate, and I’ll have to buy it at the 
school store, because all they had down-town was 
sent up here ; and Miss Dutton will be sure to ask 
why I need more, when she signs my store slip ; 
and then she’ll be sure to tell Miss Marshall, 
because they both knew about my packing all my 
skirts.” 

Jane nodded. Nice new joke on our I-Forgot 
Girl. Next time look before you cut, N. Lee. 
This time ” — Jane paused and squinted hard at the 
zigzag cut — you’ll — why, you’ll just have to make 
a feature of it, of course ! ” she ended triumphantly. 

But I can’t ask Grace ” repeated Nancy. 

Jane waved away the objection. You needn’t. 
Patch it together yourself Then add the feature.” 

Oh, Jane, please don’t talk riddles,” begged 
puzzled Nancy. 

Go and get some of the blue linen you used 
for trimming,” commanded Jane. You had some 
little pieces left, didn’t you? Oh, and bring a 
needle, because I lost ours last night, and Christina 
hasn’t had time to hunt it up.” 

Nancy darted off after the scraps of blue linen 
that matched her tie and the narrow line of color 
that edged her sailor collar and deep cuffs. When 
she got back, Jane was at her desk, covering a 
sheet of paper with queer-looking designs. 

I’m making a pattern of a feature to cover the 
43 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


cut/^ she explained, but I can^t think of a careless 
animal. Can you, Nancy? A careless animal 
would be the very thing for your sleeve.^' 

Nancy grinned. “ Puppies are fearfully careless,’’ 
she suggested. Brother Dick’s new collie pup is 
about the most careless animal you’d want around.” 

Yes,” agreed Jane, holding her pencil poised 
above the paper, but I can’t draw well enough to 
make a careless puppy look different from any 
staid old dog. Can you ? ” 

Nancy shook her head, considering. And I 
guess no grown-up animals are careless,” she an- 
nounced at last. They have to look out for 
themselves, just as grown-up girls do. Oh, dear ! ” 
Never mind,” said Jane consolingly. We’ll 
think of an appropriate symbol for you in a minute. 
I know ! We’ll put on letters, and make the others 
guess. And perhaps, as you’re so set on not being 
an I. F. G., we’d better not use that combination. 
We might have a triangle, only most people know 

about the Triangle. We might ” 

Something about outdoor sports would be nice 
for an outing costume,” suggested Nancy. 

Why not start a sort of outdoor club ? ” Jane 
took her up. The Gamboling Girls. Only g is 
a very hard letter to make. The Happy Hikers. 
The Order of Woodland Wanderers.” 

“ Oh, I like that ! ” cried Nancy. 

44 


WOODLAND WANDERERS 


‘‘All right. W. W. will cover up that jagged 
cut beautifully. You make the pattern for ’em, 
Nancy, while I hunt up some red to go on my 
sleeve, and some pink for Christina. I want a 
feature too, and of course she will.” 

In the midst of the cutting Christina came in, 
her cheeks flushed with her frantic efforts to com- 
prehend the binomial theorem before it was too 
late. 

“ Never mind, Christina darling,” Jane consoled 
her beloved twin. “ Forget that the hateful thing 
exists to baffle you. We’ve started the Order of 
Woodland Wanderers while you were gone, and 
the Triangle belongs, but it’s a secret from every- 
body else. So hunt up our needle, or borrow one 
from Nancy, because we’re in a hurry, and sew 
these beautiful pink letters, that I cut for you my- 
self and got one crooked, on to the left sleeve of 
your batting blouse. While you work, consider 
whether or not we shall admit the waifs-and-strays 
to the new Order.” 

“ It would bd jolly to have Margaret Lewis,” 
said Christina, accepting the situation with the 
placid philosophy that long experience of Jane’s 
vagaries had made easy to her. “ But little Sarah 
would be a bother, if you mean that we’re going to 
take long walks.” 

“ Oh, it hasn’t anything particular to do with 
45 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


long walks/’ Jane explained impatiently. Nancy 
cut a hole in her sleeve, and we started the W. W.’s 
because she needed a feature to cover the place. 
She came over to get you to help her fix it up. 
Please note, Miss I-Forgot, that, for the second 
time this term, the twins have saved you from 
public disgrace, — though getting people out of fixes 
isn’t at all like us. Which again proves my motto : 
What you have never done before you can do again. 
Now : shall we have young Sarah in our Order, or 
shan’t we? ” 

It isn’t always so nice to have her, but it does 
make her most dreadfully happy,” said Nancy, re- 
membering, with a sudden stab of remorse, that 
she had hardly seen little Sarah since that first 
homesick afternoon when she had been cross to her. 
“ I’ll look out for her,” she added, and try not 
to let her bother the rest.” 

We’ll look out for her too, because she’s our 
waif-and-stray,” promised earnest little Christina. 
“ Now what about the newest waif-and-stray from 
France? I don’t know as she’d care particularly 
about being asked. She seems to be getting very 
intimate with Vera Lawson and her crowd.” 

They speak French so much better than we do,” 
put in Nancy apologetically. Jeanne must find 
it tiresome to try to understand us.” 

She seemed to like us pretty well that first 
46 


WOODLAND WANDERERS 


night/^ Jane reminded them. The wonder to me 
is that the great Vera has taken her up. Jeanne 
hasnT any flossy clothes 

Of course not, Jane, when she is in mourning,’^ 
Christina reminded her twin, in shocked tones. 

Well, it^s very shabby mourning,’^ Jane insisted, 
not at all the kind that the Vera-ites would be 
seen in. Furthermore, I have an idea that she gets 
something knocked off her tuition for helping 
Mademoiselle with the French conversation. She 
has a decided air of doing her duty when she keeps 
the talk going at her end of the French table.^^ 

Well, she’s a dear, anyway,” Nancy declared, 
and I’m glad that Vera Lawson has the sense to 
see it. But all the same I move we ask her to join 
the Woodland Wanderers. Think how lonely we’d 
feel if we were any of us oflp by ourselves at a French 
school, and how glad we’d be to be asked to join in 
the fun.” 

Rather ! ” said Jane, shivering at the awful pros- 
pect. All right, we’ll ask her. She can turn us 
down if she wants to. But let’s spread the excite- 
ment out by not telling even Margaret and Sarah 
and Jeanne about the Order until after we’ve worn 
our features once or twice, and got people busy 
guessing the letters.” 

Oh, yes, let’s do it that way!” Nancy, having 
finished sewing on her “ feature,” had slipped her 
47 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


jumper over her serge dress, and now stood before 
Christina's gold-rimmed mirror, surveying the 
result with complete satisfaction. I do just love 
secrets and mysteries ! " 

When you're in them," amended Jane, who 
was also trying on her jumper. I really ought 
to have put my letters up on that shoulder seam. 
It’s most frightfully crooked." 

Speaking of mysteries,” said Nancy, there's 
one that we're not in. At least I'm not. Do 
either of you happen to know why Plain Mary 
Smith is so anxious to grow thin ? ” 

“Is she ?" demanded Jane, pulling at the of- 
fending shoulder seam. 

“ I should think she might very easily be," said 
Christina, standing on tiptoe to pull too. 

“ But she never used to care a bit how she 
looked," persisted Nancy. 

“ She's growing older and wiser," suggested Jane. 

“ She's not much older and wiser than she was 
the last week of last term, when she ate half a 
fruit-cake and pounds of candy out of Angelica 
Ransom's birthday box. Now she won't so much 
as touch candy or desserts or cake." 

“ Really ? " Jane was getting interested. 
“ That's certainly going some for a lady with 
Plain Mary's sweet tooth. Won't she tell why 
she wants to grow thin ? ” 

48 



“l DO JUST LOVE SECRETS AND MYSTERIES’’ 



WOODLAND WANDERERS 


Nancy shook her head. Just says she hates 
to look like a barrel.’’ 

And the next question,” murmured Jane, is: 
why has she so suddenly acquired a distaste for 
looking like a barrel? We’ll investigate the 
mystery of Mary at once.” 

As Nancy opened her own door, she suddenly 
remembered that W. W. was a secret, and tucked 
away the feature ” carefully out of sight in the 
folds of her jumper, doing it with a guilty feeling 
because she knew that Grace would resent being 
left out of the new Order. 

For the present Grace was in a very amiable 
mood. I’ve been down to order a riding skirt,” 
she explained to Nancy. Miss Dutton chap- 
eroned us, and we had lots of fun. Why didn’t 
you come too, Nancy ? ” 

I’m not going to have a skirt made,” Nancy 
told her. Mother promised to send me a ready- 
made linen one. She said that would be plenty 
good enough until I was sure of riding regularly.” 

I shall ride at home this summer, if I like it 
as well as I expect to,” said Grace. Mildred 
Wallace isn’t going to have riding lessons. She 
got her letter about it to-day. Her mother thinks 
they can’t afford any extras just now, because 
some of the younger children have been sick, and 
there’s a new baby. It must be dreadful to be poor 
49 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


and have lots of little brothers and sisters to look 
out for.” 

Nancy^s face clouded. She had had a little 
sister once. ‘‘ I'd be willing to give up quite a 
lot if our family was bigger,” she said. I should 
just hate to be an only child.” 

Thank you,” said Grace stiffly. 

Oh, I forgot ! ” Nancy apologized contritely. 
‘‘ I mean, I didn't mean anything against your 
being an only child, Grace. I only meant that I 
do just love big families. Mildred has a picture 
of hers, and they're just like a flight of steps, with 
Mildred at the top.” 

'' And Mildred wears shabby hats and can't 
have riding lessons.” 

^‘Yes, but ” Nancy paused, afraid of get- 

ting into hot water again. “ I'm sorry she can't 
be in the riding class,” she went on at last. It 
won't be half as much fun without her.” 

Grace looked quizzically at her roommate, 
opened her mouth to speak, then changed her 
mind abruptly and sat down at her desk. 

How does she manage to make her back hair 
and her shoulders say, ‘ Keep away ! ' just as plain 
as talking ? ” wondered poor Nancy, going to put 
away her re-decorated jumper. 


50 


CHAPTER IV 


THE MYSTERY OF MARY 

Vera Lawson sat at her shining mahogany 
desk in her pretty, littered study, writing a 
letter home. It seemed to be a hard letter to 
write. After every sentence or two Vera paused, 
and leaning her head on her hand sat staring 
blankly at the wall above her desk, her forehead 
puckered into a troubled frown and the corners of 
her mouth drawn down into unbecoming curves 
of discontent and annoyance. 

At last the letter was finished, and Vera read it 
through hastily. 

Dear mother,'^ it ran, “ I don’t see how I can 
possibly manage on a smaller allowance. Do you 
realize that this is my last term here, and that my 
friends will expect me to do more than usual, in- 
stead of less ? 

Aunt Frances has written asking me for the 
regular two weeks’ visit — in June ! If she thinks 
I am going to bury myself at the Island before 
half the hotels are opened or the cottage season 
has well begun, with nothing to do but read aloud 
to her, and drive with her after her fat, slow 
horses, and listen to all her good advice, — why, 

51 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


I^m not going to do anything of the sort, if I can 
possibly help it. Several of the girls have hinted 
at house-parties and yachting trips, and I shall 
hold off Aunt Frances until I am sure of the other 
invitations. They all, no doubt, think it strange 
that I say nothing of the usual week-end parties 
at Hill Crest. 

There^s an adorable French girl here this term. 
Her family own a chateau in Brittany, and appar- 
ently belong to the old noblesse. She is charming 
— speaks with a wonderful accent. We are very 
intimate already, and I’m hoping that she will ask 
me over to spend the summer. It would mean 
everything to me, for Jeanne says that American 
girls are all the rage over there, and with my looks 
and clothes and the ^ dot ’ Aunt Frances would 
certainly give me, to get me off her hands — oh, it 
sounds terribly mean and pushing, doesn’t it? 
But when one is thrown on one’s own resources as 
I am, she has to push, or she will be pushed to the 
wall. 

I hope you are not getting too tired. It must 
be frightful struggling along with only one servant 
in that big house. I am glad Rob seems better. 

'' Your affectionate daughter, 

“ Vera. 

P. S. How is father ? ” 

With an impatient sigh, Vera folded, sealed, and 
addressed her letter, and put it out on the upper hall 
table for a maid to mail. Then, slipping on a be- 
coming gray coat with trimmings of silky black 
52 


THE MTSTERT OF MART 

fur, she ran across the campus to the dormitory, 
and climbed the stairs to Jeanne Durand’s room. 
Nobody answered her twice repeated knock. 

With a noiseless tread Vera crept down the hall, 
listening outside one door after another, until 
she came to the twins’ study. There was small 
need of caution there. The sounds of mirth and 
revelry that drifted over the open transom would 
effectually drown out almost any commotion out- 
side. For several moments Vera, furtive eyes on 
the door for fear of some sudden exodus, listened 
intently. Then Jeanne’s voice, raised in amused 
protest, rewarded her patient waiting. 

“ Ah, but you spik so quick ! ” cried the little 
French girl. It is not I who rush my words. 
It ez you — you rapides AmericainesT 

Her face white with anger, Vera started down 
the stairs. The Learned twins, with their cool dis- 
regard of conventions, their unquenchable spirits 
and inexhaustible energy, had already foiled her 
plans more than once, and indeed almost broken 
short her reign at Fair Oaks. Now, out of pure 
spite no doubt, they were winning Jeanne away 
from her. Vera bit her pretty lips hard, and 
determined that this time the twins should lose. 
What did they want of an invitation to a chateau 
in Brittany — those crude, inexperienced chits, with 
bad manners and worse clothes? Considering 
53 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


ways and means, Vera decided to cultivate Nancy 
Lee, who had introduced Jeanne to the twins and 
might somehow or other be induced to keep her 
away from them in the future. Nancy was a safe 
enough friend for Jeanne. She did not exercise the 
curious influence over people that the twins did. 
Between herself and Nancy, Vera felt quite sure 
which would get the invitation to the chateau in 
Brittany ; it would not be Nancy. 

If Vera had stopped to hear more of the conver- 
sation going on in the Unmixed Study, her scorn 
for the twins would have been deeper than ever. 

It seemed perfectly possible to me,’^ Jane was 
announcing in loud, defensive tones to an audience 
shouting with laughter. ‘‘ But of course when 
you enter into details Jane waved a depre- 

cating hand to suggest that her ideas were too 
large to make the consideration of mere details 
possible. “ Anyhow, the tailor absolutely refuses 
to attempt it,^' she ended sadly. 

I should think he might, Jane,^' laughed Mar- 
garet Lewis. “ If the skirt-band fitted Christina, 
and the length was right for you — or the other 
way round — or half-way between — I really don't 
wonder that the tailor refused to make a riding- 
skirt that was fitted to a creature half-way between 
you and Christina.’' Margaret went off again into 
a gale of laughter. 


54 


THE MTSTERT OF MART 


Well, we couldn’t afford to have two skirts 
made,” explained little Christina with dignity, 
when she could be heard, and ready-mades are 
always too short for Jane, and of course I wouldn’t 
have one unless she did.” 

“ So we’re not riding this spring,” ended Jane, 
in absurd imitation of the tone in which Kittie 
Westervelt was wont to announce what was or was 
not done ” in polite society. 

There were exclamations of dismay from Nancy 
and Plain Mary, who completed the group in the 
study. 

“ I’m rather glad you’re not,” said Margaret 
Lewis quickly. ‘^That’s not sour grapes either; I 
hope I’m not small ^ enough to begrudge other 
people their good times, even when I’m not going 
to be in them. But this riding class is actually 
dividing the school into two classes : the envied 
and the envious. I didn’t realize until last 
night ” — Margaret lowered her voice and looked 
soberly around the circle, as if to demand real 
understanding and sympathy — I didn’t realize, 
until Mildred Wallace couldn’t keep back the 
tears when she spoke about it, and Carlene 
Marbury said it was spoiling everything and divid- 
ing us up into ‘ the many who can have things 
and the few who can’t,’ how strong the feeling is 
about these expensive riding lessons. Of course 
55 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


if Fair Oaks were a fashionable school with dozens 
of extras, one more wouldn^t be noticed. But as 
it is, — well, I’m rather glad that Jane and Christina 
are going to join the ‘ few who can’t.’ Because 
when Jane and Christina can’t do one thing, they 
always find another that’s just as much fun.” 

“ If not more so,” put in Nancy, trying to speak 
lightly, but looking a good deal troubled. There 
was an awkward silence. 

Margaret,” demanded Nancy at last, do you 
mean that you think none of us ought to take the 
lessons ? ” 

Thus sharply challenged, Margaret hesitated a 
minute, Why — I hadn’t thought of it that way, 
Nancy,” she said gently. It’s for each girl to 
say, of course.” 

“ Is that why you didn’t plan to ride in the 
first place? ” demanded Nancy again. 

''No,” explained Margaret, flushing a little 
under Nancy’s determined catechism. " I — I — 
don’t often speak of it, because I hate to have 
people think of it when they see me, but I’m just 
the least little bit lame. I can outwalk most girls, 
and even run enough to play tennis and paper- 
chase and all that ; but there are a few things I 
can’t do. For instance, I can’t sit quite straight 
on a horse, so I prefer not to ride.” 

"I never knew that you were lame, Margaret,” 
56 


THE MTSTERT OF MARF 

cried Nancy repentantly, '' and I'm sorry I made 
you tell us." 

‘‘ We shall never think of it again," promised 
Jane. 

Never," echoed Christina and Plain Mary, 
while Jeanne smiled her bewildered little smile 
into Margaret's flushed face. 

And I think I should feel more comfortable 
not to take the lessons," declared Nancy. Father 
didn't much approve of it, when I first asked him. 
He said he thought we had sports enough here 
already, and I believe he was right. And that 
was before he knew about the bungalow," added 
Nancy, with an air of relief at remembering that 
one very pleasant thing was still left her. 

Plain Mary sighed deeply. “ Riding won't be 
much fun without you four," she said, “ but it's 
terribly thinning, so I guess I'd better stick to it. 
Besides, I'm not popular enough to have it make 
much difference whether I do or don't." 

“You're popular enough so that this mad desire 
you show to be an airy fairy Mary is the talk of 
the school," Jane told her severely. 

“ Nonsense ! " muttered Plain Mary, her round 
cheeks flushing. “ Nobody wants to look 
like " 

“ A barrel," supplied Jane easily. “ But why 
not? That's the question. Why do you gorge 
57 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


merrily on fruit cake and chocolates one week, 
and the next refuse even the harmless school 
puddings? There's a mystery about you, Mary 
Smith, and I intend to devote my best detective 
abilities to solving it." 

Oh, don't, Jane ! " begged Plain Mary pite- 
ously, but Jane was inexorable. 

‘‘ You mustn't have secrets from the twins," she 
ordered. It's against all rules." 

I must go home now, Mary," laughed Mar- 
garet Lewis, ^^and you'd better come too. That 
will put a stop to Jane's detecting, for the time 
being at least. And Nancy," added Margaret 
shyly, please do just as you like about the riding 
lessons. Perhaps I'm silly to feel as I do about 
Mildred and the rest." 

You're a dear to feel as you do, and I'm acting 
just as I want to in giving up the lessons," Nancy 
declared earnestly. 

Still aglow with her enthusiasm, she rushed 
across the hall and announced her decision to 
Grace. The minute she had spoken, Nancy realized 
that she had “ put her foot in it " again. Grace's 
face grew white and hard as she listened to Nancy's 
eager announcement and halting, embarrassed ex- 
planations, ending with, “ I do hope you won't 
mind very much, Grace." 

You don't care in the least whether I mind," 
58 


THE MTSTERT OF MART 


Grace retorted angrily. ‘‘ You never care about 
me. You care about the twins and Margaret and 
Lloyd Mallory and Mildred and Sarah Williston 
and that queer French girl. And they care about 
you. But nobody cares about me — nobody ! 

The pathetic break in Grace^s voice touched 
Nancy, in spite of her distaste for Grace^s emotional 
heroics. 

Indeed I do care about you and about doing 
things with you,’^ she said earnestly. But this 
time — well, I just didnT think, Grace, about any- 
think except what Margaret was saying. You 
know just how scatter-brained I am ! You — you 
wouldnT care to join the walking party, as Jane 
called us? 

“ No,^^ said Grace shortly, I shouldn’t. Riding 
is a very popular sport everywhere this year and I 
want to learn. Besides, my habit is ordered, and I 
don’t intend to waste it. But — but thank you for 
including me,” she ended with unwonted apprecia- 
tion. 

Oh, that’s nothing,” averred Nancy, thinking 
guiltily of the Woodland Wanderers. When Grace 
heard about that, there would be more hurt feelings. 
She laughed nervously. ‘‘ We’re talking as if two 
little rides a week would separate us completely. 
We’re making a big fuss about a very small 
matter.” 


59 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


It^s not a small thing to me,” Grace persisted 
solemnly. At least, it’s just typical of all the 
things that are forever happening to me. I can’t 
seem to make real friends, no matter how hard I 
try. What can I do to make people really like 
me, Nancy, as they do you and the twins ? ” 

Well, you see, you didn’t care especially about 
making friends at first,” Nancy reminded her. 

You acted sort of offish, and now you’ve got to 
let the girls see that you’ve changed your ideas.” 

‘‘ Yes, but how ? ” persisted Grace. Nancy con- 
sidered, frowning. It was a hard question, espe- 
cially when there were a great many things you 
couldn’t say to so sensitive a person as Grace 
Allen. Suddenly she had an inspiration. Isn’t 
there a proverb or something that says the way 
to make friends is to be one ? Seems to me that 
would work, Grace.” 

There was a thump on the door, and hot upon 
it Jane Learned appeared. 

“ I say, Nancy, come and see me extract Plain 
Mary’s deepest secret. I’ve just thought how. 
Hurry, or we won’t have time before the dressing- 
gong.” 

‘‘ All right,” agreed Nancy, grateful for the in- 
terruption. Won’t you come too, Grace ? It’s 
just a silly joke about Mary’s wanting to grow 
thin all of a sudden.” 


6o 


THE MTSTERT OF MART 


‘‘ No, thank you,'' said Grace, adding hastily, 

I have things to do before dinner, so you’ll have 
to tell me about it when you get back/' 

I will,” promised Nancy, rushing after Jane, 
who was already half-way down the stairs, mut- 
tering, '' Laugh at my detective ability, did they ? 
Think they could escape me by running away, 
did they, the simple ones ? ” as she ran. 

'' How are you going to do it, Jane ? ” demanded 
Nancy eagerly. 

Jane refused to divulge her plan. “ Wait and 
see,” she ordered. 

Plain Mary was alone in her “ single.” At sight 
of Jane she jumped up and blushing her awkward, 
brick-red blush begged Jane to Please go away 
and not tease.” 

“ Oh, but you tease so beautifully, Mary,” Jane 
explained pleasantly. I say, Mary Smith, what 
will you do for me if I won't call you Fatty ? ” 
You wouldn't be so mean,” declared Plain 
Mary hotly. 

‘^Sure I would,” Jane assured her calmly. 

I'm always giving nicknames. And they al- 
ways stick. There was a girl named Henrietta at 
our first boarding-school that I called Fuzzy, — 
because of her hair, you know. Well, she simply 
couldn't shake that name. She was married a 
while ago, and in the midst of the ceremony her 

6i 


NANCr LEE*S SPRING TERM 


young man forgot and called her Fuzzy ! Fatty 
would sound grand in a marriage ceremony, 
wouldn^t it ? 

Mary blushed redder than ever. Make her 
stop, Nancy.^^ 

“ She can^t stop me,’^ said Jane placidly, even 
if she wants to, which she probably doesn^t. IVe 
set my heart on calling you Fatty and seeing the 
rest of Fair Oaks follow suit, — unless of course you 

would prefer Janets voice trailed sweetly 

off into vacancy. 

Plain Mary looked appealingly from Jane to 
Nancy, who wore a rather sympathetic expression 
but said nothing, and then back to Jane. 

What do you want me to do for not calling 
me F — that name ? she demanded wearily. 

“ Only a mere trifle. Tell me what is your real 
reason for not wanting to be a Fatty, and Pll 
never speak the hateful name again. 

Plain Mary glared angrily. It’s not your 
business ” she burst out. 

** Certainly not, my dear Fatty,” agreed Jane 
sweetly, except that I take a friendly interest in 
any mystery that affects a good friend of mine.” 

For a moment longer Plain Mary glared, then 
she capitulated. All right,” she agreed sullenly. 

“ It’s got to be honest and true, ^ cross your 
heart,’ of course,” put in Jane quickly. 

62 


THE MTSTERT OF MART 


Of course/' agreed her victim. “ Well, then, 

you see — IVe got a new guardian ” 

We know that/' Jane told her. And you 
don't like him." 

“ I never said so I " cried Plain Mary indig- 
nantly. I only said it was a lot easier having 
the old one that never took an interest or bothered 
me about things." 

“ Things like being fat," put in Jane smilingly. 
How you do guess ! " wailed Plain Mary help- 
lessly. Well, I've got a new guardian, and he 
prefers slim girls like Nancy — not bean poles like 
you, Jane Learned. And so I'm trying to grow 
thin. Now that's all I promised to tell you, and 
it's all I will tell you," ended Plain Mary in a 
burst of righteous indignation. 

“ That's right, Mary, stick up for yourself," said 
Nancy admiringly. “ Come on now, Jane, or we 
shall be late for dinner. Besides, you've bothered 
her enough for one day." 

As if you didn't want to find out about it a 
lot more than I did ! " cried Jane reproachfully. 

“ Yes, I guess I did," acknowledged Nancy. 

Why in the world wouldn't you tell us when we 
first asked you, Mary ? " 

Oh — because " stammered Mary. Be- 

cause it wouldn't interest you. What do you care 
about my guardian ? " 


63 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


“Is he awfully old and strict?” asked Nancy, 
to whom the whole subject of guardians was 
wrapped in fascinating mystery. 

“ Not so terribly old,” said Mary, “ and not 
strict exactly, but — oh, sort of particular.” 

“ Well, I’d never give up cake and candy, and 
bother with strenuous exercises, just to please a 
fussy old guardian,” said Jane, departing. 

“ Yes, you would,” Plain Mary informed her 
positively. But Jane did not hear, for Plain Mary 
had carefully waited until the door was shut before 
delivering her judgment. 


64 


CHAPTER V 


A HOUSE-WARMING AT “ SELDOM INN 

It was a glorious April morning. The Fair 
Oaks dining-room was bright with spring sunshine 
and buzzing with talk and laughter. For wasn’t 
this the very first warm and sunny day ” of the 
term, and hadn’t Miss Marshall promised them a 
“ bungalow-warming ” whenever that day came ? 

Thomas the gardener had departed for Bubble 
Lake at daybreak to warm and air the bungalow, 
and put it, as far as was possible, considering its 
unfurnished state, in readiness for the invasion of 
its numerous proprietors. He had carried with him 
two huge hampers of luncheon, and all through the 
breakfast hour Mary Ann crossed and recrossed the 
dining-room on her way between the kitchen and 
the front hall, her head in the air, her figure bris- 
tling with importance and her arms full of baskets 
and boxes to add to the pile of bungalow lug- 
gage ” that was heaped on the hall table. Mary 
Ann was going too, of course ; Fair Oaks could not 
conduct any important function such as a bunga- 
low-warming without its Mary Ann. 

To a woman. Fair Oaks was proudly arrayed in 

65 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


its official outing costume. Partly because of the 
rapidity with which jumpers may be donned, no 
one had been even one minute late for breakfast : 
a fact which Miss Marshall declared she considered 
ample indorsement of the chosen costume. 

Three jumpers had a particular interest for all 
beholders ; Nancy and the Learned twins wore their 
‘‘ features, — likewise an air of modest unconcern 
which put an edge to the general curiosity. If the 
Triangle acted like that, it would pay the public to 
investigate ; and investigation was begun forth- 
with. 

Think, commanded Jane briefly to all in- 
quirers. Exercise your minds a little, just for a 
change. Real fun involves work, to quote our wise 
Principal ; therefore work. I positively refuse for 
the present to confirm or deny your idle guesses.^^ 
So likewise did Nancy and Christina, though 
Christina opened her mouth to say, You’re warm,” 
to the girl who suggested “ Weary Wanderers ” and 
Nancy hugged little Sarah when she said, “ I think 
it has something to do with the woods, ’cause we’re 
going to the woods to-day.” 

Willing Workers ” was speedily adopted as the 
guess most pertinent to the occasion, if not the 
most probable; and the biggest baskets and the 
bulkiest bundles were summarily thrust upon the 
W. W.’s, who received them so cheerfully that the 
66 


A HOUSE-WARMING 


teasing promptly ceased. After all, the W. W.'s 
could be discussed any day, but there was only one 
Fair Oaks bungalow-warming, and it deserved un- 
divided attention. 

At Bubble Lake station a huge wagon was waiting 
for the baskets and boxes and a few of the very 
smallest girls. The rest were to walk. Even Vera 
Lawson and the Fashion Plates strolled faster than 
usual, while enthusiastic spirits like Nancy and 
Margaret fairly raced down the winding country 
road, and in their haste narrowly missed the wood- 
path, that led, by a short-cut, straight to the back 
door of the bungalow. 

It was a fascinating path. 

Think what it will be when the ferns unroll ! 
cried Nancy breathlessly, pointing to a great bed 
of brown, tight-coiled fronds. 

It^s a shame to hurry so,^’ sighed Margaret. 

‘‘ I’m coming back as soon as I’ve seen the 
bungalow,” announced Lloyd Mallory. I never 
was in a wood like this before. Oh, Nancy, 
Margaret, look ! ” Lloyd was on her knees beside 
the path, pointing ecstatically at a cluster of pink, 
waxy blossoms just showing above a covering of 
dry leaves. 

Margaret turned to look. That’s arbutus, 
Lloyd. The New England woods are full of it. I 
think it’s about our loveliest wild-flower.” 

67 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ I think it must be the loveliest one that grows ! '' 
Lloyd brushed aside the leaves, and a dozen starry 
clusters were revealed. She let the procession pass 
her, even to the stately Vera Lawson and the 
languid Fashion Plates, while she carefully picked 
all the dainty flowers and then searched the sunny 
slope for more. Her big eyes shone. She forgot 
that she was still, in spite of her courage in rescu- 
ing Kittie Westervelt and her interesting experi- 
ences of ranch life, “ Miss Oddity '' to most of the 
Fair Oaks girls. Arbutus was as lovely as white 
columbine. These budding April woods were at 
once as dear to her as her native buttes and canyons, 
gray against a background of distant, snow-capped 
peaks. Dreamily Lloyd followed the rest, and 
when she reached the bungalow, with no trace of 
her usual diffidence she went up to Miss Marshall 
and gave her the arbutus. 

‘‘ Couldn't we begin the garden to-day ? " she 
begged. “ Now is the time to transplant things, 
before they have waked up from their winter naps. 
And you must have just the wild things here — the 
things that belong in a wood." 

Miss Marshall smiled into the girl’s eager, 
dreamy face. Very well," she said. I’m afraid 
I’d thought of red geraniums in the piazza boxes, 
and nasturtiums climbing the lattices, perhaps, 
and pansies somewhere. But you shall plan the 
68 


A HOUSE-WARMING 


garden, Lloyd, exactly as you like. And begin to 
plant now if you wish to.’^ 

Lloyd slipped away, only stopping to borrow a 
basket and a big iron spoon from Mary Ann. She 
forgot to meet with the committee on paint and 
names for the bungalow, though the chairman had 
carefully reminded her to do so on the way out. 
She even forgot luncheon. But just as the girls 
were ready to leave, she suddenly appeared in the 
bungalow sitting-room, her eyes still shining, 
though her shoulders drooped wearily and her 
hands were stained and roughened from pulling at 
roots and packing down damp earth. 

There^s an hepatica bed by the back door,^^ she 
announced breathlessly, “ and I’ve found six differ- 
ent kinds of ferns. I don’t know what any of 
them look like when they’re uncurled, but they’ll 
be lovely anyway. And the arbutus bed is 
planted ” 

Oh, I ought to have told you that you can’t 
transplant arbutus,” Margaret broke in hastily. 

It positively refuses to grow that way.” 

It will grow for me,” said Lloyd simply. Then 
she turned to Miss Marshall. I’ve made only a 
tiny beginning,” she said, and there’s oh, so 
much to be done ! I hope I haven’t kept you 
waiting, and I’ve had a perfectly lovely time.” 

If the bungalow did nothing but transform 
69 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Lloyd Mallory from a shy and awkward school- 
girl into an eager, assured young woman with 
confident purpose in her eyes and a complete for- 
getfulness of self in her manner, it would have 
fulfilled its mission. Miss Marshall reflected hap- 

piiy- 

“ Oh, Lloyd can do things, if she is queer,’^ said 
Kittie Westervelt rather proudly, impressed by her 
room maters easy fashion of treating Margaret 
Lewis and even the great Miss Marshall as equals. 

But Lloyd wasn’t the only girl who had had a 
perfectly lovely time ” at the bungalow-warming, 
nor the only one who had learned that she could 
assume responsibilities and fulfil them with poise 
and dignity. 

To begin with, they had all inspected their 
little house, trooping in noisy procession from the 
three dormer-windowed bedrooms up under the 
roof, through the big sitting-room that, with a tiny 
bedroom and a tinier kitchen, occupied the whole 
of the first floor, down to the cellar — only there 
wasn’t any cellar. 

Nothing but cellar stairs,” laughed Margaret, 
leading the way down a flight of steps that started 
from the latticed back-porch and brought up under 
it, in a sawdust-strewn space evidently designed 
for a wood-shed, and already almost filled with 
neatly piled wood. In a vacant corner stood some- 
70 .# 


A HOUSE-WARMING 


thing that looked like a pump and worked like 
one too, when Jane experimented with the handle ; 
only no water came. 

“ The water hasn’t been turned on yet, I sup- 
pose,” said Jane. That is, do you turn on 
pumps? I don’t know. Well, if I can’t work the 
pump, I can put this slab of wood over on the pile 
where it belongs.” 

But the slab of wood refused to be moved ; in- 
stead it lifted up like a trap-door, and underneath 
was a lovely bubbling spring, the very sight of 
which made everybody thirsty and sent them 
rushing for cups to Mary Ann, who thanked them 
for having thoughtfully pumped her kitchen tank 
full of water. So that explained the pump ! 

Jilt’s a bungalow-rule that for every drink you 
"^et at the spring, you pump while you count sixty,” 
decreed Jane. “ Then there’ll always be water up 
there for the dishes.” 

“ And sometimes enough to flood the whole 
kitchen,” laughed logical Margaret. 

‘‘Well, of course you must use judgment about 
being an exception to the rule,” retorted Jane. 
“ The lame shoulder I got before I knew that the 
water wouldn’t come out of the spout makes me 
an exception for all the rest of the term, I think.” 

Thomas the gardener had built a roaring log fire 
in the brick fireplace of the living-room ; and 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


grouped around that, on the floor and the low, 
broad window-seats that ran the length of the 
room, the committee on furniture hotly debated 
the relative merits of wicker and mission oak ; the 
committee on kitchen utensils hastily revised its 
list to fit the kitchen space, which had looked 
much bigger on paper than it did in reality ; and 
the committee on domestic arrangements once 
more went over the perplexing situation in regard 
to a dining-room. Would screening off part of the 
living-room do, or must the down-stairs bedroom 
be taken, — the only bedroom that was sure to be 
cool and airy for Miss Marshall in the heat of 
summer? Suddenly Mildred Wallace had an in- 
spiration. 

Wefll eat on the piazza, of course,^^ she cried, 
and cook in the latticed part, in hot weather, so 
as to keep the heat out of the real kitchen. We 
saved that place for an ice-box, but we don^t need 
one when there^s that ice-cold spring. Besides, 
who’d bring the ice? 

Whereupon the committee on domestic arrange- 
ments hastily repaired to the piazza. The table 
should go there, where a big hemlock would 
shelter it from the wind and sun, without shutting 
out the view of dear little wood-rimmed, hill- 
encircled Bubble Lake. The stove should go 
there, behind the lattice. 

72 


A HOUSE-WARMING 


They rushed back to tell the kitchen committee 
about its suddenly acquired summer annex, — news 
which brought smiles of joy to the faces of those 
worried damsels. Before you could say “ Jack 
Robinson,^’ they had put a light wooden shelf 
over the inside stove, to use as an extra table, and 
were busily discussing the possibilities of the un- 
used oven as a summer store-closet. 

The committee on names and paint — supposed 
to be artistic and literary in make-up — waited 
a while for Lloyd, and then held a stormy session 
on a rock close to the margin of the lake, whence 
they could get a good view of the whole bungalow. 
Occasionally one of them ran down to the road, 
which wound past one sid^ of the house, and 
walked down it, squinting thoughtfully at the 
little house in the woods. 

White with green blinds is like all the farm- 
houses up the road.^^ 

Gray is dull and dingy. 

''Green seems right to-day, but wait till the 
leaves are out.’^ 

" Red is too glaring for summer.’’ 

So the discussion waged, all objections and no 
good ideas, until a timid, silent girl, whom nobody 
had consulted, suggested, " No paint at all, just a 
brown stain that will weather nicely, and a reddish 
roof, to look like tiles. Then the house will nestle 
73 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


down among the tree trunks and look as if it be- 
longed here.’^ 

With a sigh of relief the committee sought Miss 
Marshall, who, enthroned on a packing box, was 
busily hearing reports, and who accepted theirs 
on paint with enthusiasm. But when they prof- 
fered a long list of names for her to choose from, 
she suggested that that part of the report should 
be voted upon at lunch-time. A name, which 
everybody would use, was too important a matter 
for her to settle alone. 

Never had a morning flown away like this one I 
Oh, isn’t it all exciting ! ” sighed Plain Mary 
Smith of the Kitchen Utensils to Margaret Lewis 
who headed General Furnishings. 

‘‘ Yes, I never realized how much work it is just 
to live,” said Margaret, nor how much fun either. 
I’m going to help our housekeeper a lot this sum- 
mer.” 

Sh ! ” warned somebody. They’re going to 
read the names now.” 

Alice Borden was the chairman of Names and 
Paint. We’ve thought of a lot of names,” she 
said, ^‘and others have made suggestions. But 
I’m afraid they’re all either too sentimental or too 
sedate. It’s really very complicated to choose a 
name that will fit this house and Miss Marshall 
and us, all at once,” ended Alice apologetically. 

74 


A HOUSE-WARMING 


Then she read the list, which began with “ Lake- 
side and ended with The Nook.’' 

“ No inspirations there,” whispered Jane to 
Nancy. Jane had originally been placed on 
Names and Paint, but had maneuvered herself on 
to General Furnishings, not because she took a 
deep interest in the matter of chairs and tables 
and beds, but because Christina and Margaret 
were in that division. 

Well, which name do you like best, girls ? ” 
asked Miss Marshall. 

There was a murmur of vague dissatisfaction 
that crystallized finally in little Christina’s protest. 

*'We want something jolly and funny. Miss 
Marshall. Don’t you think those names are all 
pretty solemn ? ” Christina took a very big bite 
out of a very delicious chicken sandwich, and 
sighed happily, assured that the bungalow was 
indeed a very jolly place and therefore deserving 
of a better name than any on Alice’s formidable 
list. 

I am afraid I agree with Miss Learned and 
the chairman that none of these names is quite 
what we want,” explained Miss Marshall tactfully. 

And the wrong name for a place like this is 
always worse than no name at all. We needn’t 
decide to-day. Perhaps, after our first impressions 
have crystallized, the real right thing will occur 
75 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


to somebody/^ As Miss Marshall paused, her eye 
chanced to catch Jane Learned’s and Jane, with the 
promptitude of an automatic figure, answered her. 

Seldom Inn,” said Jane. “ We shall be seldom 
in, you know, Miss Marshall, but when we’re all 
here, we’re certainly an innful.” 

Everybody laughed and applauded and without 
more ado the Fair Oaks bungalow was christened, 
and its proud proprietors, who had insisted that 
three-quarters of an hour was plenty — oh, more 
than plenty ! — of time for the walk home, were 
soon scurrying down the trail, making hasty side- 
trips after arbutus, hepaticas, and yellow adder’s- 
tongues, or soft-footed excursions after a faint 
bird-note, barking back at the saucy squirrels — 
little Sarah Williston could have, if she liked, a 
kingdom of tame squirrels to look after in the 
woods of “ Seldom Inn,” — dancing for sheer 
light-heartedness, lagging behind because it was 
all too beautiful to leave, then striding along with 
a sudden sense of importance, because you and 
you alone had chosen the curtains, or the piazza 
chairs, or the color, or the wall-hangings for Fair 
Oaks bungalow — for Seldom Inn.” 

Vera Lawson chose to walk back with Nancy, 
first having disposed of Jeanne, whom she had 
managed to keep close by her side all day, to 
Kittie Westervelt and a friend. 

76 


A HOUSE-WARMING 


You^re really not going to have riding lessons ? 
Vera began solicitousl3^ 

Nancy nodded. “ Not this term/^ she said, not 
caring to discuss her motives with Vera. 

“You're very foolish," Vera advised her seriously, 
“ not to learn with the rest of us, while the spell 
of riding is on the school. And then I wanted 
you to ride with me," she added, with her flashing, 
persuasive smile. 

Susceptible Nancy was tremendously flattered. 
It wasn't yet too late to change her mind. She 
could write mother to send the linen skirt at once, 
because she had decided to use it after all. Margaret 
might think she was changeable ; but Margaret had 
said herself that every girl must decide as she 
thought best. Margaret hadn't given up because 
of Mildred and Carlene and the rest, who had to 
economize. The twins hadn't. Then why should 
she? 

“ It's odd," said Vera, watching Nancy's chang- 
ing expression carefully, “ how the Learneds lead 
you girls around. You march after Jane exactly 
like a flock of sheep. Be independent for once, 
(dearie, — and please me at the same time. Jane 
Learned isn't really at all the kind of girl I should 
expect you to admire." 

That settled the matter for Nancy, who was 
above all a loyal friend. She suddenly remembered 
77 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Vera^s original silly quarrel with the twins, her 
alliance with Kittie against Lloyd, and her failure 
to “ own up when she had frightened Sarah, and 
Lloyd was being blamed for it. 

I’m being independent now, Vera,” she said 
quietly. My reason for giving up the lessons has 
nothing to do with Jane and Christina’s. Of course 
we do generally let them plan things, because they 
have such lovely, comical ideas. At least Jane has.’^ 

Has she ? ” asked Vera, who saw that she could 
succeed with Nancy only by exercising the most 
careful diplomacy. ^‘Of course I don’t know her 
as well as you do. She’s probably a very entertain- 
ing and original girl. But I have noticed one 
thing about her ; she’s terribly slangy. That’s why 
I hate to have little Jeanne Durand with her much. 
Jeanne belongs to a fine old French family, you 
know, Nancy, and they will be very much disap- 
pointed if her English isn’t as pure as her French. 
I think we owe it to them and to ourselves, because 
she has been trusted to our school, to keep her 
from vulgar — well, from the wrong sort of associ- 
ations and examples. Don’t you, Nancy?” 

Nancy was in a very responsible, exalted mood, 
after her lovely day and her final unselfish re- 
nunciation of the riding lessons. She agreed with 
all that Vera had said about the duty of Fair Oaks 
to Jeanne. 


78 


A HOUSE-WARMING 


Then,” suggested Vera tactfully, “ couldn’t you 
— without mentioning me at all — hint to Jane 
Learned that she ought to be very careful what she 
says in Jeanne’s hearing? If you and I don’t look 
after the child, nobody will. The teachers aren’t 
in a position to think of anything like this, of 
course. And I’m sure a hint from you is all Jane 
needs.” 

Nancy promised eagerly, and Vera joined Billy 
and Jeanne and Kittie on the train, assured that, 
though she had lost one point, she had gained a 
more important one. If Jane Learned couldn’t use 
slang before Jeanne, she would avoid the little 
French girl ; and Jeanne, who was very sensitive, 
would soon lose interest in her tall, awkward 
American namesake, and have more adoration free 
to bestow upon her other friend, Vera Lawson. 

As she hastily dressed for dinner, Nancy re- 
membered that she had hardly seen Grace Allen 
all day. 

Did you have a grand time ? ” she called 
sociably across the study. 

Very pleasant, thank you.” 

“ If Grace was much hurt about the W. W.’s, 
she wouldn’t answer as cordially as that,” Nancy 
reflected. I hope we can have another picnic 
there soon,” she ventured, by way of making quite 


sure. 


79 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ I believe Miss Marshall said we might go again 
as soon as the house is furnished.” 

Grace^s formal correctness began to worry Nancy. 
Why, if she wanted to know about the W. W.^s, 
didn’t she ask? Nancy had hastily decided to 
risk the twins’ displeasure by telling her. 

‘^I’ve been thinking about your friendship 
motto,” went on Grace, before Nancy had decided 
what to say next. ^ The way to have friends is 
to be one,’ I mean. It’s true, I imagine, but I 
didn’t suppose that friendship was so sordid.” 

So what ? ” 

Grace repeated. 

Afraid I don’t know what it means,” Nancy 
acknowledged cheerfully. 

‘‘ Why, small and mean,” explained Grace. 

According to that motto, friendship comes down 
to a returning of favors. If somebody does some- 
thing for you, you do something for her,— just like 
returning calls and invitations to parties and Christ- 
mas presents. I hadn’t thought friendship was 
like that.” 

It isn’t, Grace,” said Nancy earnestly. That 
isn’t what the proverb means. When you’re a 
friend to a person, you want to do things for her, 
not because she’s done things for you, but because 
you love her. Don’t you see the difference ? ” 

Ye-es,” Grace acknowledged grudgingly, but 
8o 


A HOVSE-W ARMING 

I think my meaning is the true one. Look 
at 

The dinner-gong rang then, and Nancy speedily 
forgot all about Grace's strange ideas of friendship. 
And Grace for her part apparently forgot all about 
the W. W.'s. Certainly she made no reference to 
the latest slight put upon her by this new alliance 
of Nancy with the twins. 

That night Nancy wrote a full page in the Red 
Journal. 

The furniture at ‘ Seldom Inn ' is to be green 
wicker in the living-room and on the piazzas, and 
white wicker in the bedrooms, and the teakettle 
is to be aluminum, because then it will last for- 
ever — almost, — so we think it's worth the extra 
money. (Miss Marshall is so fond of having after- 
noon tea that the kettle is very important.) 

I'm glad I'm on kitchen utensils. They're so 
little, and such a lot of different kinds, that choos- 
ing them ought to take a lot longer than deciding 
on chairs and tables. So our committee will be 
having excitement up to the very end. I do love 
excitement ! 

I haven't done anything specially careless for 
quite a long while. (And the things I have done 
nobody knows about.) So maybe I am improv- 
ing. I wonder whether it's more important to 
think about improving yourself or looking out for 

8i 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


other people. Margaret can do both, but I’m 
afraid I can’t. I think that little verse of Steven- 
son’s would be truer if it said : 

The world is too full of a number of things, 

Or I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.’’ 

But just the same I like the world best just as it is — 
a big fascinating muddle of bungalows to be fur- 
nished, and French girls who mustn’t learn slang 
(I must speak to Jane right away about that), and 
crews with splendid captains like Billy, and bureau 
drawers to keep tidy, and algebra, and mothers. 
I must write to mine this very minute. — N. Lee.” 


82 


CHAPTER VI 


A PLOT AND A PRINCESS 

The Princess had sent for her Real Girls. In a 
wobbly little penciled note to Nancy she explained 
that she had been ill but was well enough now to 
have callers. 

“ They say two at once is all I can have this 
very first time/^ she wrote regretfully, so I choose 
my very two oldest friends, and send my love to 
Lloyd.^’ 

Of course, under the circumstances, they must go 
that very afternoon. Nancy secured Miss Mar- 
shalTs permission and informed Sarah, who listened 
in wide-eyed delight, that the bad fairies had taken 
their spell from the Enchanted Castle. 

^^You see the principal bad fairy got suspicious 
of Prince Charming,^’ explained Nancy. “ She 
found out that he's a Prince in disguise, instead of 
just a furry-purry kitten. So she was afraid and 
ran away. That’s why the doors of the Castle are 
open again, and we can go in.” 

'' Yes,” breathed Sarah, afraid of saying anything 
to bring the story to an end. 

“ I don’t believe that bad fairy will ever dare to 

83 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


come back/' added Nancy. “ I think she's a rain- 
and-winter fairy, who hates flowers and sunshine 
and summer. So between summer and the Prince, 
the dear little Princess is going to be all right 
now." 

I'm so glad ! " sighed Sarah. 

So am I," agreed Nancy, starting off up-stairs. 

Here's another day when I can't go out for 
crew-practice," she complained sadly to Grace. 
“ It seems as if I was fated to miss it." 

“ You needn't have gone walking yesterday." 

But I wanted so to see that new tea-place that 
all the girls are talking about," said Nancy. ‘‘ And 
I thought of course I could row to-day. Well, 
hereafter I'm going to be — oh, so regular ! You see, 
until day before yesterday I was pretty hopeless 
about getting on the crew, because I was sure that 
Margaret Lewis would go on ahead of me. But 
now that Dorothy Parsons has hurt her wrist, 
there'll be at least two places vacant, and I do 
want one of them ! " 

You've rowed a lot, haven't you ? " 

Nancy nodded. Every summer since I can 
remember. Dick says I'm very extra good — for a 
girl. So missing one or two practices ought not to 
matter much." 

“Perhaps not," said methodical Grace. “Still, 
a crew must learn to row together, of course, and 
84 


A PLOT AND A PRINCESS 

then the principle of the thing is that everybody 
should turn out.” 

Oh, yes, I know,” sighed Nancy. “ Well, 
hereafter I’m going to be as regular as — as you 
would be, Grace Allen. I can’t say more than 
that.” 

The Princess looked littler and more fragile than 
ever after her illness. Prettier than ever too, in 
her frilly white negligee, with her wavy hair in 
two long braids on her shoulders like a girl’s, and 
her big dark eyes bright with the excitement of 
having company. 

It’s so stupid being ill,” she told them. In 
spring time, too, when the daffodils are out. Oh, 
they pick them for me,” — she pointed to a great 
golden bunch in the window, — but that’s not 
the same thing. I want to be out there myself, 
helping all the flowers to grow. I’m going to get 
well quick, and then stay well. Yes, I am ! ” The 
Princess stamped her little foot in its high-heeled 
satin slipper. 

We think so too,” piped little Sarah. We 
think the Prince and the sunshine have driven the 
bad fairy away.” Sarah, who was holding Prince 
Charming, gave him a grateful hug in recognition 
of his services in the Princess’s behalf. 

“ The bad fairy ? ” asked the little Princess in 
perplexity. 


85 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Sarah nodded vigorously. You ^splain,” she 
ordered Nancy, and Nancy, blushing for fear the 
Princess would think it was silly, explained as 
briefly as possible. 

But the Princess thought it was lovely I She 
adored fairy tales, about fair princesses and en- 
chanted castles and gallant princes, but she had 
never expected to be in one herself. 

I shall think of it when I^m lying awake at 
night,’^ she said, “ and in the morning it will be 
something nice to wake up for. Somehow there 
isn’t much to wake up for nowadays,” she ended 
pathetically. 

Pretty soon you can go out and sit in the 
garden,” suggested Nancy. 

«Why don’t you have a party pretty soon?” 
added little Sarah. “ Parties are awful nice to 
think about beforehand.” 

Yes, indeed they are,” agreed the Princess, 
shaking her head at Nancy, who was trying to 
silence her small charge. '' ’Specially fairy parties. 
But I’m afraid it will be a long time before they’ll 
let me have anything as grand as a fairy party. 
Perhaps we could have a quiet little tea-party — 
just us three and Lloyd — before long.” 

And Prince Charming,” put in Sarah hastily. 

Isn’t it most time for Prince Charming to have 
a birthday, Nancy ? ” 


86 


A PLOT AND A PRINCESS 

“ Oh, I'm sure it is," cried the Princess eagerly, 
answering for Nancy. I'm sure it will be time 
in about — about two weeks, maybe. I’ll find out, 
— from the fairies, you know, or maybe from the 
Prince himself, — and let you know." 

‘‘Annette used to have lots of parties," an- 
nounced Sarah, “ when I was at home to see to 
it." 

The Princess smiled at Sarah's reminiscences, 
but Nancy noticed that her little head had dropped 
wearily back against the cushions of her easy 
chair. 

“ We'd better go now — and let you talk to the 
fairies,” she said ; and the Princess thought per- 
haps they would better. It might hurry up the 
birthday party. 

As they crossed the school grounds. Plain Mary 
Smith rushed up to Nancy. “ I want to see you 
right away," she whispered breathlessly. “ It's 
awfully important, and very private." 

“ Then let's go up in the Crooked Elm," 
suggested Nancy. “There's nobody there now. 
Sarah, you run off and hunt for those squirrels of 
yours." 

Sarah ran off contentedly enough, and the other 
two climbed the ladder into the big elm, Nancy 
quick as a cat, and Mary lumbering after her with 
the timorous uncertainty of a fat, frightened seal. 
87 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

When they had found comfortable seats, and 
Mary had caught her breath, she blurted out her 
story. “ He^s coming up here — my new guardian, 
I mean. He’s written to say so. He’s coming 
within two weeks. And for all I’ve gone without 
desserts, and exercised like anything, I’ve gained 
back that quarter of a pound.” 

“ All of it ? ” demanded Nancy, with mock seri- 
ousness. 

Every bit,” sighed Plain Mary. “ Perhaps 
if you’d had time to play tennis with me, Nancy, 
it would have been different. Kittie Westervelt 
was the best player I could get hold of, and she’s 
awfully slow about chasing balls. So playing 
with her isn’t very strenuous.” 

‘‘ Oh, Mary, you’re too funny ! ” cried Nancy, 
bursting into a merry peal of laughter. As if a 
quarter of a pound mattered ! Nobody could 
notice a quarter of a pound, you silly girl ! ” 

But I want to lose pounds and pounds and 
pounds,” declared Mary vehemently. I want to 
be slim and graceful like you.” 

You couldn’t hope to get awfully slim in two 
weeks,” Nancy told her critically. 

“ Well, I want to begin, at least,” said poor 
Mary. I thought I had the whole term to do it 
in, you see. I never thought of my guardian’s 
coming up to see me. The other one never came.” 

88 


A PLOT AND A PRINCESS 


Is this oiie fun ? ” asked Nancy. 

“ Well, I don't exactly know," confessed Plain 
Mary doubtfully. “ You see," she added, in expla- 
nation, I've always had two guardians, but this 
one never paid any attention to me. Now the 
other one has gone to Europe to live ; so this one 
has to look after me. I stayed with my old one 
this vacation, just as usual, and the new one came 
to see me twice to get acquainted. Once he brought 
me candy, and once he didn't. I don't know 
whether or not you'd call him fun. But — oh, 
nothing ! " Plain Mary came to a sudden, con- 
fused halt. 

The only thing you seem to be sure of about 
him," said Nancy, ''is that he likes slender girls. 
I don't think it was very tactful of him to say 
that to you, Mary." 

" Oh, he just happened to mention it," explained 
Plain Mary hastily. " I don't believe he meant 
me to notice. But you see — oh, he's the kind of 
person that you like to please. You know what 
I mean, Nancy," ended Plain Mary, plunged again 
into confusion. 

Nancy nodded soberly. She was thinking how 
dreadful it must be to have two guardians instead 
of a regular family, and then to have the one you 
knew rush off to Europe to live, leaving you to get 
on as best you might with the other — who didn't 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


like your kind of girl. Naturally poor Mary 
wanted to please him. She had chosen a silly way, 
perhaps ; but that was her own affair. So, I’ll 
help you all I can, Mary,” Nancy promised com- 
fortingly. I’ll play tennis — I can’t to-morrow, 
because of the crew-practice, but Margaret will. 
No, Margaret can’t either. Well, somebody will. 
And why don’t you try not sitting down for twenty 
minutes after each meal? I remember a stout 
woman at the shore used to do that. And — oh, 
let’s go and consult Jane I That’s what I do when- 
ever I’m in a fix, and she’s got me out of two 
beautifully. She does it by covering things up. 
I don’t see how you can cover up being fat ; but 
perhaps Jane will. There she comes now, up from 
the boat-house. Shall I call her ? ” 

She’ll tease me so ! ” demurred Mary. 

‘‘ I won’t let her.” 

‘‘ She’ll tell the other girls.” 

Never, if we ask her to keep it a secret.” 

All right. Jane ! Jane ! Jane Learned ! 
Come up here,” cried Mary at the top of her lungs. 

Jane, upon being hastily put in touch with the 
crisis in Plain Mary’s career, took command of the 
situation like the born manager she was. 

‘‘ You can do anything in two weeks,” she de- 
clared, with fine optimism. Eat as little as you 
can, Mary, and keep moving. Above all adopt 
90 


A PLOT AND A PRINCESS 


my favorite maxim : What you have never done 
before, you can do again. And the minute I have 
a regular inspiration for you, I'll let you know." 

Jane's inspiration came that evening, exactly in 
the middle of the study-hour, with disastrous results 
to Jane's next day's history lesson. 

‘‘ It's not exactly an inspiration,'' she announced, 
appearing, on the very stroke of the release bell, at 
Nancy's side. It's just a sort of an idea that I 
can't quite think how to develop." 

You talk like a rhetoric outline," said Nancy. 

What's your idea ? " 

** That the most thinning experience in this little 
old school is fagging for Vera Lawson. If only 
Mary Smith were crazy about Vera we shouldn't 
need to give her troubles another thought." 

But she isn't crazy about Vera." 

She would be easily enough, if Vera encouraged 
her the least little bit. Couldn't we manage it 
somehow ? " 

‘‘ I might tell Kittie," suggested Nancy, that 
Plain Mary adores Vera from afar, and longs to do 
things for her. I think Kittie would be sure to 
tell Vera, because she hates dusting and running 
errands and lugging books and boat-cushions, and 
washing dishes after Vera's spreads. It's perfectly 
astonishing the way Vera makes girls work for 
her." 


91 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


It is indeed, and it will do wonders for Plain 
Mary^s figure. You go this minute and tell Kittie, 
and hint as broadly as you dare that she go right 
off and tell Vera. Then I'll send Christina over 
to the Junior House — as my recent deportment 
marks do not permit me to leave the dormitory 
after hours — to sow the seeds of Vera- worship in 
Mary's susceptible heart. After that we will pa- 
tiently await developments." 

Next morning at breakfast, Vera, who had been 
duly enlightened by Kittie as to the identity of her 
newest admirer, bestowed a dazzling smile upon 
Plain Mary. Plain Mary, with Christina's eulogies 
fresh in her mind, capitulated at once. That after- 
noon she trotted patiently back and forth across 
the archery field, hunting Vera's arrows. After 
dinner she ran three times from the gym. to the 
Senior House and back, on Vera's errands. Next 
morning she was up half an hour earlier to copy 
history notes for her idol, losing an extra half-pound 
in her anxiety over the difficult matter of waking 
up in time. 

Meanwhile Nancy had made out a tennis sched- 
ule, in which poor, panting Mary was daily pitted 
against the best Fair Oaks players. Tired but 
triumphant, Mary reported her daily progress ; and 
daily her two trainers urged her inexorably to 
greater efforts. 


92 


A PLOT AND A PRINCESS 


Nancy pinned her faith to the tennis matches, 
but Jane declared that fagging for Vera was more 
effective. 

“ Anyhow/^ added Jane, ‘‘ something is working 
so scrumptiously that I^m pretty proud of us. By 
the way, Nancy, I^m thinking of starting a Fault 
Factory. ’’ 

A what ? ” 

“ Faults cured while you wait,” explained Jane. 
“ Applicants given special attention, and others 
more so. For instance you applied ” 

“ But I wasn’t cured. All you’ve done is to 
cover up some of my carelessnesses.” 

I have also impressed upon you how careless 
you’ve been each time,” said Jane. That ought 
to help. Besides, you’re a specially hopeless case, 
Miss I-Forgot. But so far you’ve been a very use- 
ful assistant to the head of the Factory, which is 
myself, and I hope you will be willing to continue 
in that capacity.” 

If you mean that I’ve helped about Plain 
Mary,” said Nancy, ** I have. But I shouldn’t call 
being fat exactly a fault.” 

Isn’t it generally the result of being somewhat 
lazy and greedy ? ” retorted Jane. 

Nancy laughed. Poor Mary I How you do 
pick her to pieces, Jane. I think the cases that 
don’t apply are the ones that will be the most fun 
93 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


to cure, because they won^t know what we^re doing 
to them. But I suppose,’^ she added laughingly, 
“ that we’d better begin at home. At least I had.” 
Just at that moment Nancy opportunely remem- 
bered Vera Lawson’s suggestion about Jeanne. 

Your worst fault, Jane,” she went on quickly, 
“ is being so slangy. You’d better put the Fault 
Factory to work on that, specially now that 
Jeanne Durand is around here so much. It’s really 
a shame for us to spoil her English by letting her 
hear our careless talk.” 

Jane stared in amazement. Who put that 
queer notion into your head ? ” 

“ It’s not a queer notion,” said Nancy indig- 
nantly. ‘‘ We owe it to Jeanne’s family and the 
honor of the school to see that she learns pure 
English.” 

Then keep her out of my way,” said Jane 
curtly, taking the suggestion just as Vera had 
anticipated she would. I’m sure I don’t want 
to annoy her family or stain the honor of the 
school.” 

‘‘ But couldn’t you try ” 

“No,” said Jane decidedly, “ I couldn’t — not 
at present. One case at a time is the limit of my 
Fault Factory’s capacity. We’re running over- 
time now on Plain Mary. When the Ogre has 
come and gone, and Mary ceases to be quite so 
94 


A PLOT AND A PRINCESS 


strenuous in well-doing, we can take another case 
— if we don^t decide to close down instead/’ 

‘‘What do you mean by the Ogre?” asked 
Nancy curiously. 

“ Plain Mary’s new guardian, of course,” re- 
turned Jane. “ He’s a cruel old tyrant, as far as 
I can see, so I’ve named him the Ogre. Plain 
Mary looked rather horrified when I called him 
so to her. I believe she rather likes him in spite 
of all the trouble he’s making her.” 

“ Well, I’m certainly glad you mentioned ogres,” 
said Nancy. “ I’ve thought and thought and I 
couldn’t think of any more stories to tell Sarah. 
Now I’ll put in an ogre. We haven’t had a single 
one yet, and young Sarah will be perfectly de- 
lighted.” 


95 


CHAPTER VII 


A SACKIFICE TO THE OGRE 

^‘The Ogre is coming to-morrow. He^s tele- 
graphed Plain Mary to be ready to go driving 
with him at four, and she^s to ask four of her 
friends and a chaperon to go too.'^ 

“ And are you one of the four ? asked Jane of 
Nancy Lee, who had rushed up between classes to 
tell her coadjutor the exciting news. 

Nancy nodded. So are you, Jane; and the 
others are to be Kittie Wester velt and Vera Law- 
son. Miss Dutton is going to chaperon.^^ 

Why Kittie? demanded Jane. 

Because she^s so very slim and stylish, I sup- 
pose,’’ laughed Nancy, hurrying away to her next 
class. 

That afternoon after luncheon, three of Mary’s 
four guests held an anxious conference. 

I don’t care much about going,” said Kittie 
sadly. Driving seems so out of date and poky 
nowadays.” 

I know it,” agreed Nancy. I shall have to 
96 


A SACRIFICE TO THE OGRE 


cut crew-practice again, too. But I'm afraid Mary 
will feel hurt if we don't go." 

“ We’d better be thinking up some improving 
conversation," put in Jane. “ Ogres — ahem — 
fussy old gentlemen are generally awfully hard 
to talk to." 

‘‘ I suppose he's sure to be old, but how do you 
know he's fussy? " demanded Kittie dejectedly. 

Jane shrugged. I have a presentiment." 

Kittie sighed. “ What shall we wear ? " 

Mary will want us to look nice,” Nancy told 

her. 

And slim," added Jane tantalizingly. 

Kittie looked hard at Jane, but wisely forebore 
to ask for an explanation. “ I just hope it will 
rain to-morrow," she declared at last, with another 
deep sigh. Mary can't care especially about 
going driving, and it's certainly a great bore to 
us and to poor dear Vera." 

She little knows how her stylish slenderness 
is destined to propitiate the Ogre, who demands 
sacrifices of us all," said Jane, when Kittie had 
departed. Let's go now and cheer up Mary for 
a minute." 

Strange to say, Mary needed no cheering. She 
was excited, but not at all dismayed, by the pros- 
pect of the Ogre's visit. She seemed to regard an 
afternoon’s drive as a very pleasant diversion ; and 
97 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

the only cloud on her horizon was the sad fact 
that, though ten pounds is amazingly difficult to 
lose, it may still leave a person as far as ever from 
the acquisition of real slenderness. 

“ Still, I do look a little thinner,'' said Mary 
sadly. 

‘‘ Of course you do," Nancy encouraged her. 

You must invite your guardian to come again, 
Mary, and you must keep right on training. After 
a few weeks more, he can't help but notice a big 
difference." 

And you must dress the part to-morrow," put 
in Jane. We'll be over later in the afternoon, 
when we have more time, to consider the vital 
question of clothes — especially hats. Have all the 
possibilities spread out on your bed for our inspec- 
tion, Mary." 

It was speedily decided that Mary looked nearest 
to slenderness in her blue serge suit. The problem 
of hats was a more difficult one ; Jane summarily de- 
clared all of Mary's perfectly hopeless, and hurried 
her over to the third floor of the big dormitory, 
where, after much consideration, a large black hat 
of Christina's was pronounced, by Nancy, Jane, 
and its owner, to be extremely becoming to Mary's 
round red face. 

That's over, thank goodness I " said Jane, as 
Mary went off, beaming her gratitude. And so 
98 


A SACRIFICE TO THE OGRE 

is this lovely afternoon. I certainly hope the 
Ogre will appreciate all the trouble we’ve taken 
for him.” 

“ And I hope he isn’t awfully old and awfully 
frightening,” said Nancy. ''Has Mary told you 
much about him, Jane?” 

" Absolutely nothing. She responds ' Not ex- 
actly,’ or, 'I shouldn’t say just that,’ to all my 
polite inquiries.” 

" So does she to mine,” laughed Nancy. 

" From which,” went on Jane, " we can only 
hope for the worst.” 

Nancy nodded sympathetically. " Poor Mary I 
We must see her through this time, and then, 
if the Ogre ever comes again, perhaps we can per- 
suade her to invite somebody else to go driving 
with them.” 

" We will tell her that variety is the spice of an 
Ogre’s life,” said Jane. " Now go away, while I 
think up some improving conversation for to- 
morrow.” 

At quarter to four the next day — which was not 
rainy — Fair Oaks School was wrapped in the quiet 
of the afternoon study-hour. Only Kittie Wester- 
velt was out on the deserted campus. Having 
finally decided that she was much too tired to 
dress up and go for a poky drive, Kittie had 
secured permission to run over to Plain Mary’s 
99 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


room to explain that she had a headache — Kittie 
could always conjure up a headache to order. As 
she stood for a minute on the dormitory porch, 
basking in the afternoon sunshine and thinking 
just how she should word her excuses, a big gray 
touring-car swept up Holly Road. At a pace that 
sent the shivers coursing up and down even Kittie’s 
experienced spine, it took the sharp turn into the 
school campus, driven by a reckless creature com- 
pletely disguised in smoked-glass goggles, a wide- 
visored cap, and a wrinkled gray dust-coat. It 
brought up under the carriage-entrance with a jerk, 
a snort, and a peal of its three-toned Gabriel horn. 
Then the goggled, muffled creature stood up, 
stretched his cramped shoulders, removed the dis- 
guising goggles, cap, and dust-coat, and, having 
thus transformed himself into a tall, well-groomed, 
keen-eyed young man, with a becoming dash of 
gray on his temples, he took a swift survey of his 
surroundings, strode up the steps, and rang the 
bell, with the assured air of a person who is ex- 
pected. 

Kittie, meanwhile, having bestowed on all the 
appointments of the car, including its driver, the 
keen approval of an expert, had retreated into a 
dark nook at the end of the hall. She was not 
dressed to encounter a good-looking man ; and be- 
sides, she was consumed with curiosity to know 
100 


A SACRIFICE TO THE OGRE 

what had brought him to Fair Oaks, where men 
were a decided rarity. 

'' Will you take my card to Miss Mary P. 
Smith?'' this man was saying, in a voice that 
matched his fine eyes and his business-likes tride. 
“ I'm a few moments before my time, I think. 
Tell her not to hurry. I'm to wait in there? 
Thank you." 

The curtains of the little pink and gold reception 
room fell together with a soft swish behind him, 
and Kittie Westervelt, pale with excitement, 
bounded up the stairs, unhooking her gingham 
school-dress as she ran. Never had Kittie dressed 
so fast. Fortunately there are some things that do 
not matter when you intend to wear a veil and 
a natty ulster over everything else. Only five 
minutes after the hour, Kittie, wreathed in smiles 
and pink chiffon, tripped down the stairs, to be 
met by a radiant Plain Mary, who whispered, as 
she escorted her friend to meet the Ogre, “ How 
ever did you know he meant an automobile? " 

“ Why, I should know it just to look at him ! " 
whispered back Kittie loftily, feeling that for once 
providence was strongly on her side, and against 
teasing, misleading Jane Learned. 

But the omniscient Jane was wearing a rather 
dazed expression, and Nancy's eyes were round 
with astonishment. Only Vera was nonchalant — 

lOI 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


Vera who never allowed surprises to disturb her 
complacent serenity. She was talking to the Ogre, 
whose other name was Dr. Arnold James, with 
a prettily deferential manner which she considered 
appropriate for guardians, but which seemed to 
amuse this particular guardian immensely. 

I hope youVe decided where we'd better go, 
Mary," he turned rather abruptly away from Vera 
to say. ‘‘ Can't we manage to have tea some- 
where ? There's a lot of candy piled up on the 
back seat." 

Oh, thank you. Dr. James," said Mary politely. 

« Why, I thought we'd settled that you should 
call me Dr. Jim," objected the Ogre, as all my 
other good friends do." 

‘‘ What a nice name I " cried Nancy impulsively. 

^‘Use it, if you like it," the Ogre told her 
graciously. You see. Miss Nancy, I hope to have 
a lot of good friends up here soon, because I expect 
to have to come up often this spring. Oh, not to 
see you, young lady I " with a warning head-shake 
at Mary. But I have a very old friend in town, 
who's also a patient of mine at present. And of 
course, when I'm in the neighborhood on other 
business, I naturally want to look up my ward. 
Is that the chaperon, Mary? Allow me to con- 
gratulate you on having secured such a young and 
pretty one." 


102 


A SACRIFICE TO THE OGRE 


The candy was delicious, and there seemed to be 
boxes and boxes of it. Dr. Jim was inconsolable 
when he discovered that the girls couldn’t take 
any back with them. 

Then eat it all up now, to save it,” he com- 
manded, producing a delectable new kind. He 
twitted Mary on her lack of appetite, and Kittie 
on her superabundance of pink chiffon, begging 
her to share with Mary, who had stoutly refused 
to change her big hat, and was having all sorts of 
trouble to keep it on. 

Too bad we have to crawl along so, on account 
of that hat,” laughed Dr. Jim, mischievously 
speeding up to the very limit the law allowed, 
while Mary breathed hard and clung desperately 
to her flapping black sail. 

Dr. Jim’s idea of tea, which they drank at the 
new tea-shop on the slope of Sunset Hill, was de- 
lightfully comprehensive. Mary cast one shamed 
look at Jane and Nancy, and then devoted herself 
to spice cake, chocolate Eclairs, nut sandwiches, 
and currant tarts with an ardor that Dr. Jim ap- 
plauded. 

That’s right, Mary,” he said. '' Take more 
cake. I haven’t any use at all for bird-like 
appetites.” And poor Mary, perplexed but happy, 
obeyed. 

Jane forgot all the improving conversation she 
103 


NANCT LEE^S SPRING TERM 


had prepared for the occasion and was her comical, 
jolly self ; while Nancy revised her hazy opinions 
of guardians and decided that if you could only 
have some in addition to your regular family, life 
would indeed be perfect. Vera and Kittie enjoyed 
the excursion with reservations natural to persons 
of their critical taste, and Miss Dutton looked as 
if she wished all chaperoning would turn out to 
be as amusing as going driving with Dr. Jim. 

Back in time for dinner, though not at all 
hungry, Mary's guests thanked Dr. Jim, begged 
him to have to come again soon, and said good- 
bye, leaving Mary to take a more intimate farewell 
of her guardian in private. 

Why did you tell me he was old and fussy ? " 
Kittie demanded of Jane, the instant they were out 
of ear-shot. 

Because I thought so," retorted Jane. 

We did," corroborated Nancy. “ Honestly we 
did I Just wait till we get hold of Mary Smith ! 
She's the guilty party, not we, Kittie." 

“ Why, that girl can fool people as well as I 
can ! " declared Jane admiringly. 

When Mary arrived, a little later, at the dinner- 
table, and slipped into her place, which happened 
opportunely to be between Jane and Nancy, she 
seemed much amazed at Jane's stern, It's high 
time you gave an account of yourself." 

104 


A SACRIFICE ro THE OGRE 


“ Why, I haven't been long," said Mary, beam- 
ing joyously upon her two trainers. He did 
notice that I was thinner, girls, and he was pleased. 
But he told me not to overdo it, and always to 
make an exception of his tea-parties. And he 
liked you two best, though he liked Vera too, 
only he thought she was harder to get acquainted 
with. And who do you think is the old friend that 
he has to come up often to see ? " 

“ It's no use your trying to flatter us and divert 
our minds, Mary," said Jane sternly, fastening 
accusing eyes on Mary's round, innocent face. 

Why have you repaid our kindness by base de- 
ception ? " 

Mary looked completely puzzled. 

“ Why didn't you tell us that he wasn’t an 
Ogre ? " explained Nancy. 

Mary still stared. I never said he was," she 
defended herself at last. Jane made it up." 

“ But why didn't you say that he wasn't old 
and fussy, and that he was jolly and amusing and 
awfully nice ? " 

I did say that he wasn't specially old," Mary 
reminded them. And I said I liked him, and 
that he wasn’t exactly strict, but only rather par- 
ticular. And he is — he told me so himself to- 
night," ended Mary triumphantly. 

Just the same, Mary P. Smith," pursued Jane, 
105 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


you wilfully deceived us. You knew your 
guardian was a perfect peach, and you didn^t 
tell.’^ 

^‘Do you really think he^s a perfect peach 
demanded Plain Mary, beaming. 

Of course,^’ chorused her two friends. 

Well, maybe if I'd told you he was one, you 
wouldn't think so," returned Plain Mary, thereby 
exhibiting a profound philosophy of life that gave 
the lie to her general reputation for obtuseness. 
And beyond that simple statement. Plain Mary 
pointedly refused to discuss the attractiveness of 
Dr. Jim. 

You haven't told us who his old friend is," 
said Nancy at last. 

“ Guess ! " 

“ Is it somebody we know ? " 

^‘Jane knows of her, and Nancy knows her 
well." 

“It isn't Mrs. Barton?" said Nancy, because 
Mrs. Barton was the only person in the village 
whom she knew well. 

Mary nodded. “ Next time he comes, maybe, 
he's going to take me to see her. He wants us to 
be friends, too." 

“ How funny ! " laughed Nancy. “ The Ogre 
knows the Princess." 

Everybody at Fair Oaks had heard more or less 
io6 


A SACRIFICE TO THE OGRE 


about little Sarah’s Enchanted Castle ; so Jane 
and Mary understood Nancy’s allusion. 

‘‘ I must have had a presentiment when I named 
him,” Jane declared, ‘‘that he belonged in the 
Castle story. But I may say it was a pretty poor 
presentiment that staged him for the Ogre instead 
of the Prince.” 

“ But there’s a prince already, Jane,” Nancy 
objected. “You’ve forgotten dear little Prince 
Charming. He’s in disguise at present, but he’s a 
prince all the same.” 

“ Oh, all right,” said Jane. “ Of course some 
stories have two princes in ’em, but it doesn’t 
matter. Ogre Dr. Jim has been named, and Ogre 
he shall be called, until such time as I, J. Learned, 
maker of nicknames, shall officially designate him 
otherwise. Mary, couldn’t you persuade the Ogre 
to come again next week ? ” 


107 


CHAPTER VIII 


THAT IMPROVING QUOTATION 

You think me — what you say ? — not hones’ ? ” 
asked little Jeanne Durand, gazing up appealingly 
into Nancy Lee’s face. “ And now at last you for- 
give?” 

It was the night before May Day. “ Seldom 
Inn ” was as nearly finished as a new house ever 
is before it has been lived in a while, and the Fair 
Oaks girls were to have a May party there the 
next day. In honor of this event, the W. W.’s 
had initiated the three waifs-and-strays into the 
new society, and Nancy had gone to Jeanne’s room 
after the initiation to help her cut out and sew on 
her mystic letters. 

“ I don’t understand, Jeanne,” said Nancy, much 
puzzled by Jeanne’s odd questions. “ That is, I 
understand the words — you speak English beauti- 
fully now, Jeanne — but I don’t understand what 
you are referring to. Why do I think you not 
honest? And what is there for me to forgive?” 

''Ah, nothing, in reality,” explained Jeanne, 
with a quick gesture of denial. " It is a joke, as 
I shall explain. But perhaps you have not heard ? 
io8 


THAT IMPROVING QUOTATION 

Ah, that is best, because now you will not be 
offend. But you stay away from me, and Mad- 
emoiselle Jane also, so I think you like me not any 
more.’^ 

Nancy hastily decided not to attempt any ex- 
planation of Vera’s plan for keeping Jeanne’s 
English pure, which was, of course, the reason 
for Jane’s recent avoidance of the little French 
girl, and consequently for Nancy’s seeing less of 
her. The situation was complicated enough al- 
ready. 

So, “ It wasn’t that at all,” Nancy reassured 
Jeanne quite truthfully. “It — well, it just hap- 
pened so. For one thing we’ve both been very 
busy. Now do hurry and explain.” 

“ You shall hear,” Jeanne began quaintly. 
“ That first day you recall how you find me with 
tears ? ” 

“ In tears, Jeanne,” Nancy corrected. 

“ Ah, thank you I You find me in tears, and 
you make explanation to me of ‘ unpack,’ and I 
make explanation to you of why I am here.” 

Nancy laughed. “Yes, I remember. But I 
shall have to confess, Jeanne, that I didn’t under- 
stand a bit of your explanation. I pretended I 
did, because the dressing-bell rang, and that was 
something you had to know about right away. 
So I said, ' Ouiy oui ! E\ bien ! Certainementy 
109 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


just as if I understood perfectly, — so that you 
would stop and I could tell you about the bell. I 
intended to own up and ask you to repeat your 
story right after dinner, but I couldn^t, for some 
reason, and then, as usual, I forgot.’^ 

“ Oh, c'est dr die, n'est ce pasf Attendez main- 

tenant ! Mon oncle qui 

Oh, tell it in English, please,^^ begged Nancy. 

I^m too sleepy to-night to listen to anything im- 
portant in French.’’ 

“ It shall be as you wish,” agreed Jeanne. I 
have told you that first day how my father, who 
was a notary of Amiens, die and leave us, — my 
mother and my little brothers and me, — all very 
poor ; and how my uncle, who make himself rich 
in New York, send for me to come and learn the 
American ways, that I may teach the American 
misses to speak French, in New York or maybe in 
Paris, where they come, so many each year. My 
uncle he is wise. He say, ‘ Jeanne, you shall go 
to a good school, where you may see the real life 
of the country. Then you know how to please — 
how to act in the American homes — and you have 
no trouble to find the good engagement to teach. 
And the good school will be glad for you to come, 
because you have the manners polite and the ac- 
cent elegant.’ So here I have come.” 

I’m so glad you did come here, Jeanne,” 
no 


THAT IMPROVING ROTATION 

Nancy told her heartily. '' You've taught me a 
lot of French, but that's not why I'm the gladdest. 
It's because I enjoy knowing you. And when you 
are ready to take pupils, I'm sure all the girls will 
be glad to help you in any way that they can." 

Thank you ! " said Jeanne, with her shy, sweet 
smile. “ And now for the joke — the naughty joke 
I play on Mademoiselle Vera. But if she wish not 
to be made in a joke, why will she ask the silly 
questions and — what you say — drink up all that I 
speak ? " 

Drink in all you say, Jeanne," interposed 
Nancy. 

‘‘Drink in all that I say," repeated Jeanne pains- 
takingly. “ She is what Miss Jane call the ‘ easy- 
mark,' is it not ? And she is — she is — she love the 
rich and look down on the poor. What is that in 
your language, Nancy ? " 

“ You mean that she's rather a snob, perhaps," 
suggested Nancy. 

Jeanne eagerly agreed. “ So when she, the 
snob, ask me of my home and my people, I let 
her have a story to please herself. I say nothing, 
and she talk. She gives me a proud family and a 
grand chfi^teau by the sea, in Brittany ; and she 
make it that I come here to learn to be of an interest 
in my grand society, where I dance and chatter 
and wear fine clothes and do nothing all the days. 

Ill 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 

And I ‘ make a hit/ as Miss Jane say, because I 
have been educate in America and tell the story 
coTwigue of all that I see and do. She makes it 
all grand like that, and I take what she makes for 
me, because she is so very silly. Now, do you 
forgive ? 

“ Oh, Jeanne ! Nancy's voice shook with 
merriment. “ Did you actually tell Vera all 
that, and she believes it?" 

''I let her tell — bien different/’ insisted the 
French girl. I say only a little word to start 
her, and another little word to lead her astray, 
and voild mon chdteaUy ma grande familley toutes 
les choses splendides ! Ah, yes, she believes ! She 
believes something grander every day." 

It’s certainly a beautiful joke," said Nancy, 

though I don’t suppose it is quite ^ hones’,’ as you 
say. When are you going to tell her the truth, 
Jeanne ? ’’ 

Jeanne’s wan little face grew very sad. Ah, 
that is the matter I When to tell, and how to tell ! 
She has been a friend to me, despite her silliness, 
and she is not the one to see the joke and laugh at 
herself and me, like Miss Jane always will do. I 
wish I had never taken her chateau and all her 
splendid things." Jeanne tossed all the splendor 
away with one of her vivid Gallic gestures. 

“ Well, you’d better tell her the truth pretty 

II2 


THAT IMPROVING QUOTATION 

soon/’ advised Nancy, before she’s made you 
take many more wonderful things. Or else you’d 
better not tell her at all. What harm would that 
do ? It’s such a good joke ! ” 

But a joke not ended — not understood — brings 
trouble, perhaps,” said Jeanne. I must decide ! 
I must think I And for the present we do not 
sew the letters, and you do not tell me about your 
May Day in America, so that I shall not be too 
green,’ as Miss Jane will say, to-morrow.” 

“ May Day isn’t anything much,” explained 
Nancy, busily pinning on Jeanne’s feature.” 

Do you know about May baskets? We’re going 
to fill ours in the woods, and have them for luncheon 
favors. It’s just a picnic luncheon, you know. My 
cooking class has charge of it, and I’m the class 
chairman. I ought to go over my list with Miss 
Dutton again before bedtime. Can you sew the 
letters now, Jeanne? And don’t show them to 
any one till to-morrow morning, remember.” 

The next morning was a busy one for everybody, 
but it was positively distracting for Nancy Lee, 
whose cooking division had trustfully chosen her 
its chairman. As the banner division for the 
month, they had been given the honor of planning, 
helping to prepare, and packing the May Day 
luncheon ; and they were bound to show them- 
selves worthy of their trust. Assisted by the faith- 

113 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


ful Mary Ann and by Thomas the gardener, they 
worked like beavers, getting up before breakfast to 
spread sandwiches, and leaving the table at the 
first opportunity to finish packing all the goodies 
into hampers, baskets, and boxes for transportation 
to Seldom InnT 

“ It must have been a fearful bother the last 
time,^’ said Mildred Wallace, deftly wrapping piles 
of cookies in oiled paper. They had things pretty 
well systematized before they let us try our hands.'^ 

“ Yes,^^ agreed Nancy, who was flying about, 
checking up her list of necessaries. But it’s a good 
deal of work just to carry the system out. How 
many eggs in that box, Alice ? Well, where are 
the rest ? No, those are all cookies. Oh, dear ! ” 
Plain Mary Smith, traveling with her usual dis- 
regard for others, had bumped into Nancy with a 
huge plate of olive sandwiches. 

^M’m sorry, but only one fell off, and I’ll eat one 
less this noon to make up, ” said Plain Mary, 
stooping to pick up the debris. 

“ Look at my skirt, though ! ” Nancy rubbed at 
a greasy daub of mayonnaise with her handker- 
chief. “ And I spilled cocoa on it at breakfast. I 
shall simply have to change. Here, Margaret, you 
take the list, and try to find the rest of those eggs, 
I’ve checked it down to there.” And Nancy flew 
off to repair damages. 

1 14 


THAT IMPROVING QUOTATION 

She was back in five minutes, quite calmed by 
her chance discovery that her watch was half an 
hour fast. Margaret had found the missing eggs. 
The committee dispatched Thomas and Mary Ann 
in the station-wagon with the heaviest baskets, 
carried the rest of the luncheon to the hall-table, 
congratulated one another on having finished the 
work on time, and trooped rather wearily off after 
hats, wraps, and personal impedimenta for the 
day^s outing. 

It took Nancy only a minute to pin on her “ near- 
Panama,’^ pull down her gray sweater from its 
hook, and start off down-stairs again. Half-way 
through the corridor she halted. ‘‘ I wonder where 
Grace can be,” she considered. I ought to tell 
her that I’ve borrowed a clean handkerchief, be- 
cause I couldn’t find mine, — or else they’re all at 
the laundry. I’m sure she won’t care, but, seeing 
it’s Grace, I’d rather tell her right off. I might 
wait a minute, I suppose, and perhaps she’ll come 
in.” 

But when Nancy opened the study-door, there 
sat Grace at her desk, exactly as if it was any un- 
exciting school-day morning, and she was getting 
ready for her first class. 

Why, Grace, where did you come from ? ” cried 
astonished Nancy. Oh, you must have been in 
your bedroom all the time I was putting on my 

115 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


hat. But you were so still that I never thought 
to calL^^ 

“ Yes/^ said Grace calmly, I was there. I 
didn't know you wanted me." 

“ Just wanted to tell you that I borrowed a hand- 
kerchief a while ago, when you certainly weren't 
here," explained Nancy cheerfully. You don't 
mind, do you ? I couldn't find any of mine." 

“ You're very welcome to a handkerchief," 
said Grace, turning back to her book. 

Goodness, Grace ! " protested Nancy. Don't 
try to study now. You haven't time to start, even. 
Put on your hat and come along down-stairs with 
me." 

I'm not going down just now." 

But it's almost time — it is time," declared 
Nancy, forgetting, in her excitement, to subtract 
that extra thirty minutes from the hour her watch 
indicated. It is time now to start on the picnic." 

‘‘ I'm not going on the picnic," said Grace 
quietly. 

Nancy stared. Why not ? Don't you feel 
well, Grace ? " 

N-not very." 

The air will do you good. You'll forget all 
about how you feel when you're rushing around 
in the woods, filling May baskets for all your 
dearest friends." 

ii6 


THAT IMPROVING QUOTATION 

'' I'm not going. You'd better start along, Nancy. 
And I hope you'll have a splendid time." 

“ I shan't unless you tell me " A sudden 

thought cut short Nancy's sentence. “ Grace Allen, 

is it because " Nancy darted across the study 

and into Grace's dainty little bedroom. Yes, there 
on the “ Neatness and Order card " that hung by 
the bed, below the long unbroken line of gold stars 
that stood for Perfect," was a fatal red circle that 
stood for untidiness. Nancy had several red cir- 
cles in her room, besides several blue squares that 
stood for “ Mediocre," but never before had Grace's 
dainty little boudoir been desecrated by such a 
mark of disgrace. 

Nancy rushed out into the study, and across to 
her bedroom. Yes, there was a gold star on her 
card that hadn't been there last night. 

The '' Neatness and Order " records at Fair Oaks 
were taken at irregular intervals ; when you least 
expected it, when you were not there to make a 
mute appeal for mercy, the coveted star, the toler- 
able square, or the hateful circle would appear on 
your card. That was what had happened this 
morning. And at the last assembly Miss Marshall 
had given a warning : We’re growing careless. 
I’m afraid, about keeping our rooms in order. The 
Fair Oaks girl who does her work as she should — 
follows the bells that are rung to guide her — need 
117 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


never be in too much haste to leave her possessions 
in order. But now every holiday, every special 
occasion means, to some of us, an excuse for let- 
ting things get into inexcusable confusion. I^m 
sorry to say that, when the record is taken next, 
the girls who have been careless must expect to pay 
a special penalty. So don’t be one of those girls I ” 

Nancy walked slowly out into the study and up 
to the desk where Grace sat, apparently absorbed 
in cube roots. 

“ Grace,” she demanded sharply, is it because 
of the red circle that you aren’t going ? Is staying 
at home to-day the special penalty that Miss Mar- 
shall spoke about ? ” 

“ U-um, yes, it is. Please go down, Nancy.” 

“ I’m going,” said Nancy calmly. “ I’m going 
this minute to tell Miss Marshall that I left your 
top drawer open, after I’d mussed it up hunting a 
handkerchief. As I rushed out, something tum- 
bled ” 

“ A chair, and a work-box off the table,” sup- 
plied Grace. 

Did you know that I did it ? ” demanded 
Nancy. 

Grace said nothing. 

Then why in creation,” demanded her ex- 
asperated roommate sharply, didn’t you explain 
to me when I first asked you ? Now be all ready 

ii8 


THAT IMPROVING QUOTATION 

to start when I come back with the word that 
you’re to go on the picnic.” 

Oh, Nancy, I never meant you to know I I 
don’t want you to explain. Please go on the 
picnic and have a good time I I want to stay at 
home for you. Indeed, indeed I do ! Don’t spoil 
it all for me ! ” Tears in her eyes, her voice a wail 
of despair, Grace stood up to face her bewildered, 
dismayed roommate, who had to curb her des- 
perate desire to find Miss Marshall and set matters 
straight in a hurry, until she had soothed the 
tempest of Grace’s distress. 

It was awfully dear of you to mean to let me 
go without knowing,” Nancy assured her heartily. 

But now that I know, of course I can’t let you 
do anything of the kind.” 

But I want to 1 ” wailed Grace. ‘‘ Indeed I 
want to. Oh, Nancy, don’t you see that it’s friend- 
ship ? I’ve tried so hard to find a chance to be a 
friend to somebody and now — now you — won’t — 
let me ! ” 

No, I won’t,” said Nancy firmly. I couldn’t 
let my very dearest friend take the blame for a 
thing I’d done. I should feel like a sneak, and be 
acting like one, too. Now please try to see it my 
way, because I must go this very minute to find 
Miss Marshall.” And off she rushed down the 
hall. 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Nancy, did Thomas take the chicken sand- 
wiches ? 

“ Nancy Lee, you’re late. We thought you’d 
forgotten the picnic.” This from Jane, the tease, 
with significant emphasis on ‘‘ forgotten.” 

Nancy, come and walk down with us.” 

“ Have you brought all the lists, Nancy ? ” 

“ I can’t stop just now,” returned Nancy breath- 
lessly to all inquiries. Please let me pass. I 
can’t stop now, truly I can’t.” 

Miss Marshall was in her sitting-room. Miss 
Dutton was there too, and Miss Cripps, but Nancy 
walked straight in, all the same. 

Oh, Miss Marshall,” she began eagerly, Grace 
belongs on the picnic with a gold star, and I be- 
long at home with a red circle. I’m afraid there 
isn’t time now to explain it all out to you, and 
still get Grace started with the rest. So may I 
just tell her that she’s to go, and ITl explain it 
when you come home to-night ? ” 

“ Are you perfectly sure that you are right ? ” 
asked Miss Marshall very gravely. 

“ Yes, Miss Marshall,” returned Nancy, with 
equal solemnity. It is no light matter to de- 
prive oneself of a long anticipated May Day 
picnic. 

“ You are the only girl whom we must leave 
behind to-day, Nancy.” 


120 


THAT IMPROVING ROTATION 

‘‘ Yes, Miss Marshall,” said Nancy, blushing 
violently. 

Well, please go at once and tell Grace to come 
down,” commanded Miss Marshall, a sudden smile 
lighting her grave face. And Nancy — in view 
of the peculiar circumstances of the case, which 
you shall explain more fully to me later, I’m go- 
ing to remit your special punishment. I’m going 
to put you on probation.” 

Does that mean that I may go to-day ? ” de- 
manded Nancy shyly. 

It does,” smiled Miss Marshall. That is, if 
you and Grace can catch the train. Now run I ” 

I’m on probation,” Nancy wrote in the Red 
Journal that night. That means that I mustn’t, 
just mustn’t get another red circle — I’m in honor 
bound not to. If I do, I suppose I shall have to 
pay two penalties instead of one — one for to-day’s 
circle, and one for the new one. I didn’t like to 
ask about that, because it would have seemed as 
if I didn’t intend to try. When you are on pro- 
bation you have to try. You would be ashamed 
not to. There are six weeks more of this term, 
and if I get through them safely (without circles) 
I shall surprise myself, and I guess Miss Marshall. 
But I’ve got to do it. So prepare to be surprised, 
Nancy Lee I 

Resolved : never to tell anybody an improving 

I2I 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


quotation (specially not Grace). Jeanne thinks 
that jokes are dangerous, but no joke could pos- 
sibly make more trouble than that quotation has 
already ; and I foresee that there is worse to come. 
Grace is so thorough ! She never drops anything 
until she has finished it right up. If she doesn’t 
have better luck finishing her investigation of 
friendship than she has so far, I shall be finished 
too. 

That sounds ungrateful, but it isn’t. Only I’m 
beginning to understand what brother Dick means 
when he says ^ Girls are so queer ! ’ 

‘^We took Grace into the W. W.’s, — Jane and 
Christina were very nice about it. Grace acted to 
me a good deal as if she had expected us to do 
that very thing. Anyway she’ll be surer than 
ever now that friendship is only a sordid ex- 
change of favors. 

'' (I’m pretty proud of that last sentence, if I am 
on probation.) — N. Lee.” 


122 


CHAPTER IX 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 

It was a gala afternoon at Fair Oaks School. 
Mrs. Grant — mother of the redoubtable Thomas, 
whose house-parties from Yale enlivened the town 
over the week-ends — had waxed enthusiastic about 
the picturesqueness of archery, as she had seen^it 
practiced on the Fair Oaks campus. She had 
promptly organized a club among the town girls, 
and Miss MacPherson, who believed that nothing 
got the most and the best out of one, whether in 
work or play, like a spirit of wholesome rivalry, 
had picked a Champion Fair Oaks Team from 
among the devotees of archery, and suggested that 
they challenge the town girls to a tournament. 

Afternoon study-hour had been shortened, in 
honor of the great occasion, and by three o^clock 
the campus swarmed with archers, — knots of the 
school or the town colors on their arms, — with 
schoolgirls, and with friends of the town girls, 
each of whom had been privileged to invite two 
guests. 

I certainly hope they’ll have the sense to 
bring men,” Kittie Westervelt had sighed ; and 
123 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


she was gratified by the appearance of a goodly 
number of the sterner sex, each one of whom 
speedily became the center of a bevy of admiring 
girls. 

But the most popular man of them all was not 
the guest of any town girl. Dr. Jim had tele- 
phoned Plain Mary at lunch time from the Castle. 
His car was out of commission, he explained. He 
had therefore had to travel up by train, and he 
was reduced to the necessity of paying Mary a 
mere call. 

“ I suppose I may not even bring candy to be 
consumed within the sacred precincts. Shall I be 
welcome under all these trying circumstances ? 
he demanded humbly. 

Plain Mary joyously assured him that he must 
come over as soon as possible to witness the tour- 
nament. 

Vera was captain of the champion team, and 
Kittie was an usher, her chief duty being to keep 
the spectators at a proper distance from the archery 
field, for which purpose she carried a very orna- 
mental staff, decked with the school colors and 
tipped like an arrow. So, of those who had been 
in Dr. Jim’s motor-party, only Jane and Nancy 
were free to help Mary receive and entertain the 
Ogre, — with all the rest of Fair Oaks, however, 
ready to aid her at the slightest sign of encourage- 
124 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 


ment. Nothing can make a schoolgirl popular 
much faster than a good-looking guardian pos- 
sessed of a big gray touring-car and a nice taste in 
candy and afternoon tea-cakes. But Plain Maiy 
was oblivious to the significance of the smiles and 
cordial nods she received on all sides, and Dr. Jim 
seemed to agree with Mary that he had enough 
entertainers for the present. If he meant to make 
more friends, as he had hinted, at Fair Oaks, he 
was not in the mood to begin just yet. 

The Ogre is feeling rather ogre-ish to-day,^’ 
said Jane, in an aside to Nancy, when, after a few 
minutes’ talk indoors, Mary suggested the party’s 
making a tour of the campus, and thus gave Jane 
and Mary a momentary chance for confidences. 

I hope the Princess isn’t worse again,” said 
Nancy anxiously. '' He does certainly seem a lot 
solemner to-day, somehow.” 

But it wasn’t the Princess’s case that was making 
the Ogre seem solemn. 

“ Mrs. Barton sent you a message by Dr. Jim,” 
Plain Mary told Nancy presently. She said that 
it’s to be the kitten’s birthday to-morrow, and you 
and I loyd and Sarah are invited to his party be- 
cause you’re friends of the kitten, and I’m invited 
too, because I’m a friend of Dr. Jim.” 

I’m proud to have my friends classed with 
those of Prince Charming,” laughed Dr. Jim. 

125 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

Then he turned with his friendly smile to Nancy. 

I've prescribed girls and good times for my 
patient. I hope you'll continue to lend me your 
valuable help toward seeing that she gets them." 

“ I'll try," promised Nancy eagerly. I wish 
doctors would ever prescribe good times for me 
when I’m sick, instead of horrid-tasting medicines I 
But then I haven't been sick for perfect ages," 
ended Nancy rather ruefully. 

Dr. Jim laughed with the rest at her absurd 
anti-climax ; but presently the sober look crept 
back into his fine eyes, and little worried lines 
wrinkled his forehead. ‘‘ It’s generally easy 
enough to see what a patient needs,” he said, 
but there isn't always a supply of it over the 
garden fence, to be had for the asking. Mrs. 
Barton needs girls, and here you are. But the 
boy I was talking to this morning, in my office in 
Boston, needs rest and change and petting and 
freedom from worrying. And he might as well 
need the moon, poor fellow ! By the way, when I 
mentioned that I was coming up here to-day, he 
said he had a relative in this school.” 

‘‘A sister?" demanded Plain Mary. Dr. Jim 
thought not. Any sister worth having would be 
at home helping a brother like that one by putting 
her shoulder to the wheel. It must have been a 
mere cousin." 


126 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 


What was his last name? '' asked Mary. If 
it was the same as his cousin^s 

“ Curiously enough, I don’t know his last name, 
Mary,” explained Dr. Jim. '' His own physician 
brought him in to see me, and after they’d left I 
realized that he’d called the boy Rob, and I’d called 
him Rob, and never even asked for anymore name.” 

‘'Hasn’t Vera Lawson a brother Rob? ’’asked 
Plain Mary. 

“ I never heard her speak of a brother,” said 
Nancy. 

“ She acts to me like an only child,” said Jane, 
whereat Dr. Jim laughed and said that he agreed 
with Jane, and that he was sure, anyhow, that his 
boy Rob was not the haughty Miss Lawson’s 
brother. 

And there the matter was dropped. 

“ The Ogre wants the moon to give to his sick 
friend,” said Jane to Nancy, when they were to- 
gether again. “ That’s why he’s feeling ogre-ish.” 

“ I wish we could help him to get it,” said 
Nancy. “ The sick friend must need it very badly, 
to worry a nice Ogre so.” 

“ Well, I’m not worrying. I think he’ll get the 
moon all right. When an Ogre knits his brows 
and cogitates, even the moon sits up and takes 
notice of his wants,” declared Jane. 

“ I’m going to find Lloyd and Sarah and tell 
127 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


them about the kitten's party," said Nancy. I 
love to tell people about nice things like that." 

“And I must go and chirk up Christina," 
put in Jane. “ She's on the team to-day, you 
know, substituting for Blanche Atwood. I can't 
decide whether having me around to chirk her up 
makes Christina more nervous or less. So first I 
chirk a while, and then I depart a while, and then 
I vice versa — no, I mean I ditto." 

Nancy found little Sarah down in the tangle of 
bushes by the lake, feeding nuts to Bob-tail and 
Chatterbox, and explaining to them in soothing 
tones that nobody wanted to shoot them with those 
horrid old arrows, and that they were to run and 
tell 'Fraid Cat and old Whiskers quick, this very 
minute, so they would understand too, and not be 
worried. Then they could all come back together 
for nuts. When Nancy appeared, Bob-tail and 
Chatterbox instantly obeyed the first part of 
Sarah's injunction, scampering off like mad and 
scolding as they went. Little Sarah smiled for- 
givingly at Nancy, who in her eyes could do no 
wrong, explained about the panic that was agitat- 
ing the squirrel colony because of the tournament, 
and hugged Nancy appreciatively when Nancy, 
in her turn, explained about the Prince's birthday. 

“ Who told you ? " she demanded. 

“ The Ogre — I mean Dr. James, Mary's guard- 
128 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 

ian/' explained Nancy. ''He had luncheon at 
Mrs. Barton^s to-day.^^ 

" Why do you call him the Ogre ? demanded 
little Sarah inquisitively. 

" I don’t. I generally call him Dr. Jim, because 
he told us that all his other friends did, and we 
might too.” 

" But you said ' the Ogre,’ ” persisted Sarah. 

"Oh, that is just a silly joke-name that Jane 
Learned gave him. You wouldn’t understand 
about it.” 

" I understand all about ogres,” said Sarah 
loftily, " ’cause you told me your own self. But I 
didn’t think Mary’s guardian would be that kind 
of a person. He looks quite nice.” 

" He’s very nice,” said Nancy. " What kind of 
a party do you suppose the Prince will have ? ” 

" I don’t know, ’cept I’m going to take him a 
present from Annette,” cried little Sarah, instantly 
forgetting the Ogre, and dancing up and down in 
her excitement. " The present’s a catnip ball, and 
I bought it last week, to be sure to have it ready in 
time for his birthday. Is that Spoiled Kitten of 
yours going to send a present too ? ” 

" Maybe,” said Nancy mysteriously, " if she gets 
my letter in time to see about it. The tournament 
is beginning, Sarah. Don’t you want to come and 
watch ? ” 


129 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


But Sarah preferred the thicket and the squirrels 
to watching other girls shoot arrows. 

“It’s no fun just to look on at a game/^ she 
said. “ I’ll come, maybe, when I’ve fed them all 
the nuts I have in my pocket.” 

Lloyd Mallory took as little interest as Sarah in 
the archery contest, though her reasons were quite 
different. 

“ It seems silly to me,” she told Nancy, when 
the two met on the edge of the crowd of spectators, 
“ to spend your time learning to shoot with a bow, 
when it will never be of any possible use to you. 
If they were practicing with rifles or shotguns, 
there’d be some sense in it.” 

“ Oh, can you shoot those things ? ” asked Nancy, 
in a rather terrified voice. 

Lloyd nodded. “ Not very well, but Pete says 
that I’m a fair shot for a beginner.” 

“I shouldn’t be standing around here if that 
sort of shooting was going on,” said Nancy posi- 
tively. “ Archery is just a game, Lloyd, and 
games aren’t supposed to be any use. Don’t you 
like to watch a pretty, graceful sport like this? 
Isn’t Vera Lawson a regular queen to-day? She 
had that green suit made on purpose for archery. 
It’s Lincoln green — the color that Robin Hood and 
his men used to wear in Sherwood forest.” 

“ Is it ? ” Lloyd’s face lighted with sudden 
130 


ri/£ HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 

interest, for she loved the old tales and ballads of 
Robin and his crew. I wish I cared more for 
games, she told Nancy wistfully. I suppose it 
was because I never knew any other children 
when I was little that I never really learned to 
play.'' 

“ You're not too old to begin now," laughed 
Nancy. You must make the most of all your 
chances, beginning with to-morrow, when Prince 
Charming has a party." And Nancy explained 
how the Princess had taken up little Sarah's sug- 
gestion about Prince Charming’s birthday. 

What fun I " cried Lloyd. ‘‘ Birthdays are 
another thing that I don't seem to know much 
about. I used to have parties when I was a little 
thing, but I never knew that grown-ups bothered 
about birthdays, as the girls do here." 

Grown-ups, and now even kittens,” laughed 
Nancy. When is your birthday, Lloyd? " 

'' The second of June," Lloyd told her, and then 
the two girls separated, Nancy, who was anxious 
to know how the tournament was progressing, 
making a slow way through the crowd to a place 
near the score-sheet, and Lloyd climbing up to the 
deserted seat in the Crooked Elm, whence she 
could look down on the gay scene below her, and 
think happily of Nancy's friendly talk and of the 
fun in store for her to-morrow. 

131 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

Lloyd could not tell fairy-tales like the ones 
Nancy invented so easily for the delectation of 
little Sarah ; indeed she thought fairy-tales rather 
silly. But she loved to sit and dream stories quite 
as marvelous, though of another sort : stories in 
which she was always the heroine, shy no longer, 
no longer awkward, above all no longer “ queer.^’ 
She was comical and clever like Jane, little and 
clinging like Christina, as popular and as gay as 
merry Nancy Lee. In this delightful guise she went, 
from her perch in the Crooked Elm, to the Princess 
birthday celebration, and was the life of the party. 
In her lovely dream-story, she was Nancy's best 
chum. She was the new captain of the archery 
team. She was that pretty town girl, with all the 
boys crowding around her. A happy smile lit 
Lloyd's quiet face and brightened her dark eyes. 
There are more ways than one of having the time 
of your gay young life," as Jane always phrased 
it, at an archery tournament. 

Meanwhile, Nancy, slipping deftly through the 
crowd, gained the front rank near the score-sheet, 
which was fastened, rustic-fashion, to the trunk of 
a big tree. It was evident that a serious discussion 
was going forward among the managers of the 
tournament. Mrs. Grant who was chaperoning 
the town team. Miss MacPherson, Vera Lawson, 
the town girls' captain, half a dozen other archers, 
132 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 


and an usher or two, stood in front of the sheet, 
engaged in earnest conversation. 

What^s the matter?” asked Nancy, finding 
herself beside Jeanne Durand. 

Ah, I can tell you,” said Jeanne gaily, in- 
stead of asking you, as always before, in my foreign 
ignorance. Mademoiselle Christina has just told 
me, so : the two sides they shoot once, and they 
are even ; twice they shoot, and they are even ; 
three times, and it is the same. There is now 
not much more time. Everybody say, ‘ Who 
will win ? ' So now they must decide how they 
shall arrange it. Miss Christina think the two 
captains, — Vera and the very tall young lady in 
white, — shall now try, and that decides for all.” 

“ Oh, I see ! ” Nancy looked carefully at the 
scores. '' Yes, they’re even after all this time. 
How queer 1 ” 

'' Ma’mselle Christina say they do not measure 
the shots with enough pains, counting every little 
inch. They count only by the colors of the 
target,” explained Jeanne eagerly. 

Just then the group before the score-sheet dis- 
solved, and Kittie Westervelt and another usher 
bore down upon the crowding spectators. 

'‘Stand back, please,” commanded Kittie im- 
portantly. “ The match is now to be decided by 
a round of three shots each between the cap- 
133 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


tains. Keep back of the chalk-line on the grass, 
please.’^ 

Holding hands and being careful not to lose 
their front-row places, Jeanne and Nancy backed 
slowly to the chalk-line that Kittie had indicated 
— one of two parallel lines that marked off a long, 
narrow grass-plot in front of the target. Jeanne 
and Nancy were at the upper end of the space, 
nearer the target than anybody but Miss Mac- 
Pherson and Mrs. Grant, who were umpiring the 
match. 

I do hope we can beat them,^^ said Nancy, as 
the town-girl, winning the toss, chose to let Vera 
shoot first. 

I think we do. Vera is not — what you say 
— never to be ‘rattle.' She is cool as ice al- 
ways." 

“ Yes, and she's practiced a lot," said Nancy 
hopefully. 

A hush fell on the crowd, as Vera fitted her 
arrow, took slow, careful aim, and let fly. Hardly 
had her shaft hit the red circle next to the bull’s- 
eye, when the town team's captain lifted her bow 
and with a swift, careless gesture shot her arrow. 
It, too, stuck in the red circle, a shade nearer the 
inner edge than Vera’s. 

“ How funny ! ’’ said Nancy. “ She didn^t seem 
to aim at all." 


134 




THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 


“ It is always so. You have not watched, per- 
haps ? ” questioned Jeanne. ‘‘ She has been a fine 
shot each time, and never has she waited to aim. 
She mus’ be — what you say? — a natural-born 
shooter.” 

Vera's next arrow hit the bulFs-eye, while the 
town captain’s casual shot struck just on the inner 
rim of the red. 

The spectators were now tense and quiet with 
excitement. A pink flush of triumph tinted 
Vera’s soft cheeks, and the town-girl, who was a 
point behind, drummed nervously on her bow, as 
she waited for Vera to aim. 

One moment, please ! ” cried Miss MacPherson. 
Vera lowered her bow in surprise, and waited. 
The spectators began to chatter again. It was 
some question about counting the points that 
must be decided before the final round, so the girl 
next Nancy told her. Miss MacPherson, Mrs. 
Grant, and the captains conversed animatedly. 
The ushers walked back and forth, keeping the 
field clear. Jane Learned started a cheer for 

Fair Oaks and Fair Oaks’ Vera.” The town- 
girls’ masculine guests gathered in a knot and 
cheered their captain. Nobody but the umpires, 
the ushers, and eager little Jeanne Durand noticed 
that the captains had stepped quickly back to 
their places, and that Vera was again taking aim. 

135 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

‘‘ Look ! whispered Jeanne to Nancy. Her 
arrow it is painted with the town colors.^’ 

“ Sh 1 ’’ whispered Nancy. She’s picked up 
the wrong one, but it won’t matter.” 

Less deliberately than before, Vera sighted and 
shot. Instantly the town-girl’s arrow flew after 
Vera’s, so that the two were in the air together. 
Then, with a nervous shrug that seemed to say, 

It’s all over now,” the town-girl turned her back 
on the target and melted into a group of friends 
behind her, leaving Vera standing alone by the 
basket of arrows. 

Why, they’ve shot ! ” 

“ They’ve both used town arrows ! ” 

Which is which ? ” 

Who wins ? ” 

There was a babel of questions and exclama- 
tions, as the crowd surged forward over the course. 

Mine is the arrow in the bull’s-eye, I believe,” 
said Vera, walking calmly toward the target. 

Hurrah for Fair Oaks’ Vera ! ” shrieked the 
girls nearest her, who had heard what she said, 
and the crowd took up the cry, Fair Oaks ! Fair 
Oaks I Vera Lawson ! ” 

Meanwhile an usher wormed her difficult way 
through the crowd. “ The captains are wanted in 
front,” she explained. “Tell the town captain 
that the umpires want her — at once, please.” 

13b 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 


Meanwhile Nancy and Jeanne, still hand in 
hand, wriggled determinedly ahead. It is all 
one big mistake,” Jeanne whispered sadly to 
Nancy. Miss MacPherson will so explain, and 
we will be on the scene to console with Vera.” 

“ Who made the mistake ? ” wondered Nancy. 

It^s too bad. I'm awfully sorry for Vera. Losing 
seems a lot worse, some way, after you’ve been sure 
that you’ve won.” 

Vera had reached the umpires now, with Nancy 
and Jeanne just behind her. 

‘‘ This match seems ill-fated. Miss Lawson,” Miss 
MacPherson was explaining. A sudden shaft of 
sunlight dazzled both Mrs. Grant and me, and 
with the two arrows of the same color flying practi- 
cally at once, we are not sure which one is yours. 
Do you know?” 

“ Mine is the one in the bull’s-eye, I think. Miss 
MacPherson,” repeated Vera calmly. 

“ Do you agree, Janet ? ” asked Mrs. Grant of 
the tall town captain, who was listening over 
Vera’s shoulder. 

The tall girl put out her hand to Vera. 
“ Shake,” she said good-naturedly. I turned 
my back on that last shot, so it’s lucky you saw. 
Anyhow, our arrow won, if we didn’t.” 

There was a sudden stir in the crowd, as eager, 
impulsive little Jeanne pushed past two girls, who 

137 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

stared at her angrily, to lay a hand on Vera’s 
arm. 

“ Oh, Vera, you are mistake ! You shoot the 
torn arrow. See ! ” Jeanne ran forward and 
pointed at a tiny splinter on the arrow that 
had stuck in the outer circle of white. I 
see that — what you say? — ragged place, as you 
aim.” 

With a look of annoyed surprise on her plump, 
open countenance. Miss MacPherson dropped the 
crayon with which she had been about to record 
the final scores, and looked questioningly from 
Jeanne to Vera. 

Still smiling her cool little smile and quite 
ignoring Jeanne’s pleading eyes, Vera turned to 
Mrs. Grant. I may have been mistaken, of 
course,” she said. Shall we shoot again or call 
the match a tie ? ” 

Mrs. Grant admired Vera Lawson tremendously 
because her idolized son Thomas did. Your 
friend is just as likely to be wrong as you, my 
dear,” she said sweetly. ‘‘ It’s lovely of you to 

give up like this, but ” 

Did any one else follow the arrows ? ” asked 
Miss MacPherson sharply. 

Oh, yes ! ” began Jeanne, and stopped, realizing 
that Nancy, not she, was the one to speak now. 
There was a long pause. 

138 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 


I did, Miss MacPherson, and I agree with 
Jeanne.’^ 

Nancy hated to speak out like that in public. 
She dreaded to meet the disappointed looks of her 
schoolmates. Most of all she shrank from Vera’s 
annoyance. Vera was so sweet and so pretty. 
She had appreciated Nancy’s help about separating 
Jeanne and Jane, and been very nice to Nancy in 
consequence. But Nancy had seen the arrows 
distinctly, and she knew that Vera was wrong. 
The honor of Fair Oaks demanded that Jeanne’s 
statement be corroborated. 

Any one else ? ” asked Miss MacPherson, who 
was plainly much annoyed by the whole episode. 

But no one else had seen the last shot — or at 
least no one else cared to give an opinion about it. 

Miss MacPherson consulted for a moment with 
Mrs. Grant. Then, erasing the captain’s individual 
scores, she wrote “ Tie ” below the team records. 

I really think the town should be scheduled 
winners,” she explained to the crowd, but Mrs. 
Grant is dead against that. So this is the umpires’ 
compromise, — with profound apologies for having 
been dazzled by the sun.” 

And the town team challenges yours to another 
match on our grounds next week,” added Mrs. 
Grant, with a consolatory smile for Vera. 

Vera accepted the challenge charmingly, in the 

139 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


name of her team. She was so sweet and apologetic 
over the afternoon ^s misadventures — so sorry about 
having used the wrong arrow, about her mistake, 
and the failure of her team to win. 

Escorted by a troop of her admirers and most of 
the male guests, she made a triumphal progress to 
the boat-house, where there ensued a lively contest 
for the privilege of taking her canoeing, as the best 
way of reviving her becomingly drooping spirits. 
The other Fair Oaks girls did not go out in the 
canoes ; they politely insisted that their visitors 
take the boats, which they could use at any other 
time. But Vera Lawson, in the best canoe, with 
three cushions at her back and two cavaliers at her 
feet, spent the end of the hot afternoon drifting 
pleasantly under the shade of the overhanging 
willows at the farthest end of the lake. And no- 
body, not even the girls whose cavaliers she had 
summarily appropriated, seemed to think the 
worse of Vera. No wonder that she was badly 
spoiled ; no wonder that she took unusual liberties ; 
no wonder that even independent Jane Learned 
hesitated a little before attacking the manners or 
motives of the school idol. 

“ I suppose I'm a peanut," Jane said to Nancy, 
as the girls trooped in to dinner that evening, but 
I can't help wondering why the great Vera picked 
up a town arrow at the critical point in this after- 
140 


THE HONOR OF FAIR OAKS 

noon's match. There's a reason for everything, 
you know, N. Lee. ' 

Nancy cast a scared look at Jane. “ I — I won- 
dered too," she confessed shamefacedly. 

Of course," said Jaue, “if she intended to shoot 
when no one was noticing and then claim the best 

shot, why, mixing the arrows " 

“ Would help," concluded Nancy, after a pause. 
“ Oh, Jane, I'm afraid we're being very horrid." 

Jane grinned. “We can't help our thoughts — 
at least the Fault Factory doesn't guarantee to im- 
prove those much. But we can help talking things 
over, and we'd probably better. For even if the 
worst is true, it doesn't give us any new light on 
the subject of Vera. We knew long ago that she 
isn't quite square. And whether the worst is true 
or not, do you know, I'm sorry for her." 

“ Why, so am I, Jane ! " chimed in Nancy in 
quick surprise. “ Isn't it queer that we both 
should have thought of that — to-day too, when 
she was having such a grand time? " 

Jane nodded. “ She always manages to have 
what you call grand times, N. Lee ; but think how 
she works for them I Why, I wouldn't fag my 
brain overtime, as she does, thinking how to work 
people, and how to hold the center of the stage, 
and all that — not for all the social positions in 
creation," declared Jane vehemently. 

141 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ Neither would echoed Nancy. And so 
let’s just be sorry for her, and say nothing about 
our mean suspicions, and hope others will act the 
same. Oh, I do hope they will ! ” added Nancy 
Lee, so earnestly that little Christina, coming up 
just then, inquired anxiously if somebody had 
flunked algebra. 


142 


CHAPTER X 


NOT WANTED 

Prince Charming's birthday party was elaborate 
and original enough to satisfy even critical little 
Sarah Williston, connoisseur in the matter of feline 
festivities. 

‘^The preparations were so entertaining that I 
had to stay over," explained Dr. Jim, coming in 
with the Princess to greet the Fair Oaks guests. 

Have you a present?" asked little Sarah, dis- 
playing her catnip ball tied up in alluring scarlet 
paper. 

Dr. Jim assumed great distress. Why didn't 
somebody tell me sooner that I ought to get one ? " 
Oh, it's not necessary," explained Sarah po- 
litely. Only at your birthday parties most people 
do bring you a present, you know." 

“ But I haven't had a birthday party for ages 
and ages and ages," explained Dr. Jim solemnly. 
“ So I didn't know. I'll bring the Prince a pres- 
ent the very next time I come, to make up." 

Nancy had brought a picture post-card of a kitten 
named Snow-White, to decorate the side of the 
143 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Prince’s basket. Plain Mary had brought a cellu- 
loid ball, and Lloyd, like Dr. Jim, had not 
thought to bring anything. 

You don’t know how much better I feel now,” 
said the Ogre, smiling at the shy, wistful-eyed girl 
so winningly that in half a minute he had added 
one to his list of Fair Oaks friends. 

John, will you put all these lovely presents 
with the rest of the party ? ” said Mrs. Barton to 
the stately old butler, who went off carrying the 
ball, the picture post-card and the scarlet bundle as 
carefully as if they had been fragile family heir- 
looms. 

Prince Charming was in his basket in the li- 
brary. He blinked and stretched so sleepily when 
little Sarah hugged him, that Mrs. Barton asked 
Sarah to take him and get him into a proper 
party-mood. 

“ When you’ve waked him up, come and tell 
us,” said Mrs. Barton, giving her littlest ^‘real 
girl ” a kiss. 

She was a very gay Princess to-day. Come 
and see my flowers,” she begged the older girls. 
“ I’ve got the loveliest carved stone seat in my 
garden, that Dr. Jim sent up to me from Boston, 
where I can sit and watch the daffodils growing, 
after I’ve gotten tired walking about looking for 
the beginnings of rosebuds. Oh, and you must 
144 


NOT WANTED 


see the lilies-of-the-valley ! They and the violets 
will be blossoming out next” 

The Princess’s garden was a wonderful place. 
There were tall trees and great spreading shrubs 
in it, as well as the smaller plants. There was a 
spring garden, a summer rose garden, and a fall 
garden, a formal garden set in clipped hedges, a 
wild garden tucked away in the shrubbery, and a 
water garden down at the foot of the hill near the 
lake shore. The Princess joyously showed it all 
to her real girls.” She agreed with Lloyd that 
the wild garden was the loveliest — almost ! She 
exclaimed with Nancy over the beginnings ” of 
rosebuds, and sympathized with Plain Mary’s 
raptures over a flaunting bed of parrot ” tulips. 
Finally she led them proudly to the new stone 
seat. 

Why, it doesn’t look so very new ! ” said Plain 
Mary, looking searchingly at Dr. Jim. Mary was 
wondering why, if her guardian had been going 
to give such a shabby stone seat to Mrs. Barton, 
he hadn’t had it carefully washed first. It was 
certainly a very dingy present to give to a 
Princess, Mary thought. Or had the Princess 
treated Dr. Jim’s gift carelessly since she re- 
ceived it? 

But the Princess and Dr. Jim seemed to find 
Mary’s suggestion very amusing. “ No, it looks 

145 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


quite delightfully old, my dear,’' said the Princess. 
“ Almost as old as the big elm tree that shelters it, 
and quite as if it had grown here, like the elm and 
the yew hedge and the daffodils.” 

It used to be in a French Marquise’s garden, 
Mary,” added Dr. Jim kindly. “So it really is 
about the same age as the elm. It’s a very com- 
fortable old seat. Try it.” 

Just at this point little Sarah came hopping out 
to say that Prince Charming was now the friskiest 
little kitten that ever had had a birthday party. 
So they all went back to the library, where the 
Princess, a little tired with so much unwonted 
excitement, snuggled down in a big easy chair, 
and asked Nancy to ring for the “ party ” to be 
brought in. 

The “ party,” held high in the hands of the old 
butler, was a huge white cake, with plain frosted 
sides, and a fancy frosted top beautifully trimmed 
with little pink roses and with one tall pink candle 
burning in the middle of it. 

“ Oh, what a splendid big cake ! ” said little 
Sarah, who was sitting on the floor holding Prince 
Charming. “ Only — does he just love to eat cake, 
Mrs. Barton? Annette never did, you see.” 

“I think he’s going to ‘just love ’ this cake,” 
laughed the Princess. “ Put it on the floor in 
front of Miss Sarah, John.” 

146 


NOT WANTED 


The next minute the Princess was down on the 
floor too, and so were all the rest of the guests, 
except Dr. Jim, who was rather too tall to sit on 
the floor comfortably. 

I think you’ll have to blow out his one-year- 
old candle for him, perhaps,” the Princess told 
Sarah. 

Sarah leaned forward to blow, and that brought 
Prince Charming’s inquisitive little nose nearer 
his cake. With a plaintive mew and a determined 
wriggle Prince Charming was out of Sarah’s arms, 
snifl0.ng at his birthday party in a frantic fashion 
that said, as distinctly as if he had spoken, Where, 
where, where are those clams that smell so fasci- 
nating ? I can’t find them, and I must find them 
— right away, this very minute I ” 

“ Why, the top’s not frosting at all ! It’s just 
paper I ” cried little Sarah, and at that very mo- 
ment Prince Charming put two little black paws 
on the paper-frosting and down he went, crash 
into the middle of his lovely cake. 

I think perhaps you’ll have to pull away the 
torn paper for him,” laughed the Princess, and 
then it’s such a very big box that there will be 
plenty of room for him to sit down and enjoy his 
party.” 

When the crumpled paper was pulled away, 
there was left in the box, that had looked just like 

147 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


a big cake, Prince Charming, a nice little saucer 
of steamed clams, a bowl of thick cream, a beauti- 
ful red neck-bow, and the presents that Sarah, 
Mary, and Nancy had brought. There was no 
question which of his birthday gifts the Prince 
preferred ; before the paper frosting was pulled 
away, he had begun gobbling up clams, and he 
continued to gobble till the last, least speck of 
clam had vanished. Then he turned his attention 
to cream. 

“ Annette had a Christmas tree once, hung with 
oysters,^^ said little Sarah, tying on the Princess 
new neck-bow, after he had wiped his face neatly 
with his paw, and that was nice ; but this is 
nicer. It was so very astonishing to see a cake 
turn into a box. And besides the Christmas tree 
tickled poor Annette’s face, so she couldn’t 
thoroughly enjoy her oysters. Yes, I think this 
is the very nicest party a kitten ever could have. 
Mrs. Barton, does Dr. Jim think you may have 
the fairy party, too, before very terribly long ? ” 
She may have it quite terribly soon,” said Dr. 
Jim solemnly, '^provided, that is, that I’m in- 
vited.” 

There was chocolate ice-cream and real little 
cakes with real frosting on them, for Prince 
Charming’s guests. When they left, the Princess 
filled their hands with golden daffodils, which, as 
148 


NOT WANTED 


they walked through the school campus, brought 
all their friends flocking to admire the flowers and 
to hear about the wonderful birthday party. 

Margaret Lewis, coming back from a tennis 
match, linked arms with Nancy, and drew her a 
little away from the others. 

I'm on the Red Crew," she whispered happily. 
‘^I'm one of Billy's Invincibles. Are you on, too, 
Nancy ? " 

Nancy gave a little start of surprise. I haven't 

been told so yet, anyhow. But I’ve been away all 

this afternoon. Do you suppose " 

Billy came over to the dormitory at four to 
tell me," Margaret explained, “so probably she 
just missed you. Let's hope so, anyhow." 

“ I'm glad you're on, Margaret," said Nancy ab- 
sently. She was trying to think how she could 
arrange a casual meeting with Billy before dinner. 
She really couldn't wait until after that long meal 
to know her fate. 

“ Oh, Nancy I Margaret ! " called somebody be- 
hind them. It was Mildred Wallace, hurrying up 
from the boat-house. “ I want to tell you some- 
thing," she panted, when she had caught up with 
them. “I'm on the crew ! Billy's just taken me 
down to flt me out with oars." 

Over Mildred's sandy head Margaret shot a quick 
glance of sympathy at Nancy. There were only 
149 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


two vacant places in the Invincibles^ boat. Nancy 
stopped planning how to contrive a meeting with 
Billy, and devoted her attention to saying the 
proper things to Mildred. 

Oh, I^m so happy ! ’’ Mildred answered their 
congratulations. “ I was homesick for the baby 
when I first came back this term, and then I felt 
rather left out when you were all talking so much 
about riding lessons. But in the end none of my 
best friends took the lessons, and now I^m an In- 
vincible. Isn^t it splendid? I’m sorry you’re 
not on too, Nancy.” 

The boat won’t hold everybody, you see,” said 
Nancy with a sorry little smile, and hurried on 
alone to the dormitory. As she dressed for dinner, 
her bright face set in hard, resentful lines. 

I know I row better than Mildred. I know I 
do,” she kept thinking over and over. It’s not 
fair. I know I row better.” 

Wishing to avoid conversation about the crew, 
Nancy waited till the last minute before going 
down-stairs to dinner, — and ran straight into the 
person she most desired to escape, in the lower 
hall. 

Hello ! ” said Billy Bray cordially. “ Are you 
almost late too? I want to thank you for practic- 
ing with the Reds, Nancy, and to say that I’m 
sorry ” 

150 


NOT WANTED 


“ Oh, that's all right," cut in Nancy with forced 
gaiety. Of course I'm a good deal more sorry." 

“ Well, I was sure you wouldn't act heart-broken 
and weepy about it," laughed Billy, “ like some 
former candidates who haven't quite made good." 
And with that they joined the procession into the 
dining-room. 

“ I won't show that I care I I'll be a good loser, 
at least," Nancy promised herself. So she spread 
the good news of Margaret’s and Mildred's honors, 
repeating, when tactless friends condoled with her 
over her own disappointment, her useful joke that 
unfortunately the Invincibles' boat wouldn't hold 
everybody. 

But up-stairs in the Unmixed Study, with only 
the other Trianglers to know, Nancy threw pride 
to the winds and wept bitter tears on Christina's 
best couch pillow. 

I wanted so to be on that crew," she sobbed. 
** I never wanted anything so much. And then, 
it's not fair ! I row better than Mildred Wallace. 
I don't understand it. I thought Billy liked me. 
I shouldn't care so much, only it's not fair." 

Billy rooms with Vera," mused Jane. In 
spite of her athletics and her general all-around 
good sense, Billy's a Vera-ite. And yesterday, by 
siding with Jeanne, you hurt Vera's pride. Also, 
you sided with the Terrible Twins about the riding 

151 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


business, and Vera's select class in horsemanship 
is a good deal more select than Vera intended. 
Maybe Vera dropped Billy a hint." 

“ But Nancy dear, didn't you cut practice a 
lot?" suggested Christina practically. 

Well, of course you can't go every single time," 
Nancy parried. It's not expected. No, Jane's 
right. It's just a piece of meanness. Maybe Billy 
didn't intend to be unfair, but she was certainly 
influenced by Vera." 

As they undressed that night Nancy told Grace 
all about her troubles. She did not intend to 
spread an unpleasant story about Billy, but the 
rank injustice she believed herself to have suffered 
was the sort of experience, she knew, that Grace 
would understand and be sympathetic about. 
Nancy felt that she must conflde in somebody 
besides the light-hearted, irresponsible twins, who 
took no disappointment seriously, — not even the 
loss, more agonizing because wholly undeserved, 
of a place on the Red Crew. Grace was serious- 
minded ; she would appreciate Nancy's sorrow. 
Grace was sensitive of injustice; she would abhor 
Billy's unfairness, and understand the bitterness 
that tinged Nancy's present outlook upon life. 

To Nancy's amazement and disgust, Grace was 
distinctly incredulous of Billy's unfairness. 

“ You didn't go to practice, Nancy," she repeated 
152 


NOT WANTED 


inexorably. I told you you^d have to be more 
regular. I warned you that showing yourself re- 
liable and learning to row with the rest were very 
important things.^’ 

I was as regular as 

Not as Margaret or Mildred/^ interrupted Grace. 
** Mildred never lost a single day.^^ 

I don’t care. She can’t row. She doesn’t be- 
long on the Red Crew. It’s not fair or just. Billy 
left me out because Vera said to.” 

But Nancy ” Grace started to answer, then 

fell silent. 

Nancy cried herself to sleep long before the 
clock struck eleven, but Grace lay for hours toss- 
ing and turning, thinking and thinking and think- 
ing. Nancy mustn’t get into the way of being 
suspicious and sensitive, of imagining that people 
were against her. Grace felt sure that Nancy was 
wrong about Billy’s motive ; and she couldn’t bear 
to feel that her influence, perhaps, had led her 
sunny roommate to adopt a theory so unchar- 
acteristic. Were her own ideas that some one had 
slighted her, Grace wondered, ever as absurd as 
this belief of Nancy’s that Billy and Vera Lawson 
had not wanted her on the crew ? It was staying 
away from practice that had kept Nancy off, of 
course. But Nancy couldn’t see it. 

“ I wonder if I reason the same silly way when 

153 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


I’rn sure the twins have snubbed me on pur- 
pose/^ Grace mused. “ Well, anyhow I mustn’t 
let Nancy catch my silliness and be made un- 
happy by it.” 

In her absorption with this chain of reasoning, 
Grace had forgotten all about the proverb that 
urged her to make friends by being one ; but she 
carried out the real spirit of it none the less, when, 
after Nancy had sulked gloomily for three days, 
assured that all the world, and especially her 
roommate, was against her, Grace went straight 
to Billy Bray with her difficulties. 

And Billy, who had a warm heart under her 
brusque manner, and a clear head, as well as 
strong arms, understood and in her turn went 
straight to Nancy. 

I say, little girl,” she began pleasantly, ignor- 
ing Nancy’s haughty aloofness, “ it’s a lot better 
to discuss things right out than to juggle them 
round inside your head till it aches and you can’t 
think straight. I’m worried about something, 
and I want to tell you.” 

It’s coming I ” thought Nancy triumphantly. 
^‘She was influenced by Vera, and now she’s 
ashamed of it.” 

But that wasn’t at all what had worried Billy. 

I didn’t understand you,” Billy explained re- 
pentantly. “I’ve noticed that girls who areal- 
154 


NOT WANTED 


ways laughing, like you and me, Nancy, are 
pretty often misunderstood. People think we 
don^t care about things — aren’t keen to win out, 
you know, and heart-broken if, for any reason, 
we don’t do our best. Well, I thought you didn’t 
care about the Red Crew — that, when you cut 
practice so much, you’d lost your interest. So I 
didn’t go to you and warn you that you must be 
more regular, as I ought to have done, and as I 
should have done if you didn’t smile so much, 
and if there wasn’t a dance in your walk, Nancy 
Lee. But you haven’t smiled or danced very 
much since the crew appointments were an- 
nounced, and so I’ve come to say I’m sorry, 
Nancy. We wanted you in the good ship ^ In- 
vincible.’ We wanted you hard.” 

You couldn’t doubt Billy’s word. Her honest 
brown eyes looked straight out at the world, and 
her account of herself rang true. Nancy held out 
her hand. 

“You’re a brick, Billy dear, to come and tell 
me not to be cross. I shall be sorrier than ever 
now that you aren’t my captain, but — I under- 
stand. I counted up the practices I’d missed to- 
day, when I ought to have been doing algebra, 
and there were a lot — more than I ever dreamed. 
So I was beginning to understand before you 
came. And — thank you,” ended Nancy, with a 

155 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


funny muddle of tears and laughter in her eyes 
and her voice. 

It was very easy making explanations to the 
twins. Jane said she was sorry that she’d been 
such a mean suspicious old cat,” and Christina 
tactfully refrained from saying, “ I told you so.” 
So did Grace, when Nancy, after a short, sharp 
struggle with her pride, and a resolution to re- 
ceive Grace’s “ I told you so ” in good part, since 
it was well deserved, told her roommate about the 
astonishing interview with Billy. 

“ I love what Billy said about discussing 
things,” Grace remarked, instead of saying what 
Nancy had expected. I believe that a good 
many hurt feelings are just nonsense.” 

‘‘ I’m sure of it,” laughed Nancy. That is,” 
she added hastily, remembering that Grace’s feel- 
ings were very sensitive to uncomplimentary allu- 
sions, I don’t know much about it, I guess. My 
feelings are pretty tough generally ; I like people, 
and I expect them to like me. It’s a lot more fun 
than the other way, and I hope I shan’t be such a 
silly soon again.” 

I hope you won’t be so unhappy soon again,” 
said Grace with an adoring “ all or nothing ” glance 
that was quite lost on Nancy. 

That young woman sighed plaintively. ‘‘ As 
long as I’m such a forgetful scatter-brain, I 
156 


NOT WANTED 


mustn^t expect to be chosen for nice things like 
Junior Houses and Red Crews. Oh, dear I Well, 
at least I haven^t had an untidiness circle so far.^^ 

I’ve adopted a motto,” Nancy confided that 
night to the Red Journal. Margaret suggested 
it : ‘ Do what you set out to.’ It ends in a prep- 
osition, which isn’t the best English usage, and 
it’s not by any great author ; so I hope it won’t be 
as troublesome as the one Grace had. (She hasn’t 
mentioned friendship lately, so I’m hoping my 
troubles with that are over.) Margaret says that 
my motto has worked well for her, but Margaret 
is the kind who can manage any motto. I didn’t 
tell her that I was going to adopt her motto, be- 
cause if it turns out badly for me I’d rather not 
have her know and want to laugh, only she’s too 
sweet to do it. 

Of course, the principal thing I can * set out to 
do ’ at present is not to get red circles. It’s too 
late to set out to make the Invincibles this year, 
and after Billy leaves in June it won’t be the same. 
But I can ' set out to do ’ little things like learning 
to say malheuresement properly. Jeanne says that 
when you can pronounce malheuresement^ you will 
have a good French accent, and Mademoiselle 
thinks that perhaps Jeanne is right. 

“ And another thing I shall ‘ set out to do ’ 
(only it won’t take much trying) is to enjoy every 

157 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


minute of our bungalow house-party, that comes 
next Friday. Miss Cripps and Miss Dutton are 
the guests of honor, and Margaret and the twins 
and Plain Mary and Lloyd are going too. I’m so 
glad I drew lots to go with them, and to go the 
very first time the house is used for overnight, 
when the pots and pans are perfectly new and 
shiny, and the ferns in the wood are uncurling, 
and the leaves on the trees are new and little and 
softy green. 

(You’d better stop, N. Lee, or you’ll be trying 
to write a spring poem in a minute, and then how 
silly you’ll feel ! ) ’* 


158 


CHAPTER XI 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 

(c KiTTiE^s chairman of to-day^s expedition. 
Let’s put the Fault Factory to work on her well- 
known tendency to shirk and then pretend to 
herself that she’s done it all.” 

It was Friday noon, and the envied members of 
the first bungalow-party, released from afternoon 
study-hour, were arraying themselves in their 
official outing costumes and incidentally packing 
their official linen knapsacks. In ten minutes 
the dining-room would be cleared after luncheon, 
and Mary Ann would summon them to the assist- 
ance of their chairman in selecting and packing 
the raw materials for three regular meals and one 
tea. 

Oddly enough the tea was Jane’s idea. “ They 
always have it at house-parties,” she had explained. 

I mean the house-parties you read about in 
novels. And if we eat Saturday’s lunch rather 
early we can easily be hungry again before we 
have to start for our train.” 

'' We shall want to go on a last lovely walk that 

159 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


afternoon,” put in Margaret, and walking always 
makes you hungry.” 

So tea was decided upon. Jane saw to it that a 
plentiful supply of her favorite apricot jam was 
included, and three kinds of crackers. 

How can we get the Factory to work, Jane? ” 
demanded Nancy eagerly, when Jane, half-dressed, 
darted across the hall with her interesting sugges- 
tion about Kittie. 

Oh, I don’t know,” said Jane, wriggling into 
her jumper. “ Just firmly insist that she shan’t 
fade away before everything is finished. About 
the time the last things — the ones that won’t fit 
into any of the boxes — are left to be tackled, K. 
Westervelt will say, ^ Now, girls, just finish up, 
while I — bathe my aching head in cool water,’ or 
some such nonsense. Well, at this point or a little 
sooner, we politely but firmly intervene. And if 
there’s any fading away, it mustn’t be done by 
Kittie.” 

'' I see.” Nancy’s face wore an earnest, thought- 
ful expression. She had taken Jane’s Fault 
Factory very seriously. Vanity is really Kittie’s 
worst fault, I think. That’s the one we ought to 
cure.” 

“ Well, thinking you’ve done it all when you 
haven’t is vanity ; and so is snobbishness, which is 
another way Kittie has of overvaluing herself 
i6o 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


compared to others. What are you so solemncholy 
for, N. Lee ? ” 

Nancy laughed. “ I'm sure I don't know. It's 
all a joke, isn't it? Kittie deserves to be joked 
about getting out of things — except fagging for 
Vera — and if she should improve, why, we'd " 

Have benefited humanity once more, accord- 
ing to our usual helpful custom," added Jane gaily. 

We ought to give some attention to Plain Mary, 
too, while the F. F. is keyed up for action. She's 
been rather relaxing her frantic efforts to be a 
sylph, and since I've seen the Ogre I'm as anxious 
as Plain Mary ever was to have his ward please 
him by becoming as slender and charming as — 
untoward circumstances concerning Plain Mary's 
naturally dumpy figure will permit." 

That's easy to manage. We'll take her on very 
long, fast walks," said Nancy. Dear me ! How 
exciting our house-party is going to be ! " 

Jane reminded Nancy of that prophetic remark 
later ; but at the moment she retorted scornfully 
that excitements connected with the silliness of 
Kittie Westervelt and the stoutness of Plain Mary 
were nothing much, especially when you had to 
make them all up yourself. 

I like excitements to drop down on me out of 
a clear sky," said Jane. 

If they're the nice kind," amended Nancy, 

i6i 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ like the youngness and amusingness of the 
Ogre.'' 

Naturally there are excitements and excite- 
ments," admitted Jane wisely. '' But to my mind 
almost any is better than none at all. And now, 
as Mary Ann is waving us onward from the stair- 
way, let us depart to business. And, remember- 
ing that what has never been done before may be 
done again, let us conspire to elevate the character 
of K. Westervelt. Christina darling, stop trying 
to make your hair curl down over your ears, and 
come along. We've got plans that will make the 
latest fashion in hair-dressing look like thirty 
cents." 

Kittie Westervelt was much elated over the fact 
that the chairmanship of the first bungalow-party 
had fallen by lot to her. Kittie loved positions of 
authority ; she was sure that no girl in the party 
was quite so well suited as herself to play the r61e 
of hostess-in-chief to Miss Cripps and Miss Dutton. 
Down in the dining-room, amid the bustle of culi- 
nary preparation, Kittie flitted about, suggesting 
here, interrupting there, and repeating at frequent 
intervals, in a manner carefully copied from Miss 
Marshall's, ** How capable you all are, girls! I 
shall tell everybody what a splendid committee 
I had." 

Strange to say, the competent committee could 
162 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


not seem to advance its work beyond a certain 
point — the point where, as Jane described it, “the 
most is behind, but the worst is to come.” Train- 
time approached, and the packing dragged inex- 
plicably. Christina cut her finger microscopically, 
and had to retire from the fray. Jane, after delay- 
ing everybody with detailed accounts of Christina's 
youthful aversion to the sight of blood, also retired, 
to offer assistance and sympathy to Christina. 
Nancy Lee remembered that she had forgotten to 
pack her tooth-brush. Margaret Lewis and Lloyd 
Mallory assisted one another elaborately to tie up 
a small package, fastening it as securely as if it 
were bound for the North Pole by parcel post. 
Then, murmuring something about sticky fingers, 
they too disappeared, leaving Kittie in solitary 
contemplation of a table strewn with embarrassing 
odds and ends — lemons and oranges dropping out 
of two broken bags, a loaf of Cook’s famous raisin 
bread, three cups, to replace some broken in the 
transit of the china to “ Seldom Inn,” a bowl of 
mayonnaise, and a bottle of cream, minus its paste- 
board cover. 

Fifteen minutes to train-time I Swiftly Kittie’s 
dainty, patronizing manner slipped from her, to be 
displaced by sighing, despairing anger. She started 
toward the stairs, to call back her missing aids. 
How long did it take to pack a tooth-brush, or 
163 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


to wash one’s hands ? Christina’s cut finger was 
nothing. Jane went off just to bother. At that 
thought Kittie’s wrath lost its supine desperation 
and suddenly acquired backbone. A winter at 
Fair Oaks had not been wholly without its effect 
on Kittie’s under-developed common sense. 

I won’t go for them I I won’t give them that 
satisfaction ! ” she resolved sternly, and poured the 
lemons into a tin pail. Resolutely she hunted the 
cream cover ; she wrapped the bread up once be- 
fore she remembered that she should have put oiled 
paper around it first. Everything had been dis- 
posed of but the mayonnaise, when the dining- 
room door swung open, and Nancy Lee burst 
breathlessly in. 

“ All done? ” she asked. 

Oh, it was practically finished when I left,” 
cried Jane, rushing up behind Nancy. 

There was nothing much to do in the first 
place,” chimed in Christina, at a nudge from her 
twin. Now that supplies of all the staples are 
out at ‘ Seldom Inn,’ it’s really very simple to get 
the food ready.” 

“ You’d better run for your hat,” Margaret told 
the fiushed, bewildered Kittie. We’ll clear away 
the muss.” 

^'The mayonnaise ” began Kittie faintly. 

I’ll carry that just as it is, in the bowl,” of- 
164 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


fered Lloyd, rather guilty at having taken any 
part in Jane’s conspiracy. I can slip it right 
inside this bag. I brought down your hat and, 
other things, Kittie.” 

Thank you very much, Lloyd,” said Kittie, 
with a ring of heartfelt gratitude in her weary 
voice that caused watchful Jane to nod approv- 
ingly at Nancy. 

'' She’s made a grand start. We’ll see that she 
draws the dinner-dishes to wash to-night, as her 
share of the house-party work. We shall make a 
woman of her yet, N. Lee.” 

Kittie did “ draw ” the dish-washing, and she 
bore the infliction with an injured air that deep- 
ened in intensity as she proceeded from glass and 
silver to pots and kettles and pans. But she made 
no articulate protest. 

And so she shall have a peaceful day to-morrow 
as her reward,” said Jane. Besides, we shan’t 
have time for her to-morrow. It’s Mary’s turn.” 

The “ Seldom Inn ” house-party spent all that 
was left of Friday afternoon in the woods. 

'' It’s certainly a magic grove,” Lloyd confided 
to Nancy. Every time we come it looks entirely 
different, and lovelier each time. To-day it’s fairly 
carpeted with violets.” 

I must have the scene of my next story for 
Sarah in a magic wood,” declared Nancy. Can’t 
i6s 


NANCT LEE^S SPRING TERM 


we make our dinner-table adorable to-night, with 
all these flowers ? 

I like them best growing,'^ said Lloyd. I 
must plan our violet beds to-day.’^ And that was 
the last her friends saw of Lloyd Mallory until 
dinner-time, when Miss Dutton caught her, with 
leaf-mould in her hair and her arms full of violet 
plants, and explained in her sweet little way that 
she too loved gardening and would go with Lloyd, 
if she might, to hunt violets, or whatever Lloyd 
had planned to get, to-morrow. 

“ You see, so many things might happen to one 
girl all alone by herself,’^ explained Miss Dutton 
with her friendly smile. 

Lloyd liked Miss Dutton too well to argue the 
point by bringing up some of her Western experi- 
ences. It was an absurd idea, of course, like most 
phases of this incomprehensible chaperoning; but 
at least Miss Dutton wouldn’t chatter, as Kittie 
did, or the talkative twins, and so scatter all the 
wood-magic. So Lloyd yielded up her beloved 
solitude, and she and Miss Dutton went off by 
themselves next day in pursuit of adder’s-tongue 
and Solomon’s-seal, instead of joining the rest of 
the party in an exploring trip up the Smallest 
Bubble. 

Just as the girls were starting off for the bunga- 
low, Miss Marshall had handed Margaret a folded 
1 66 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


paper which, she explained, was a trail-map of the 
country near “ Seldom InuT 

“ There’s quite a summer colony at Bubble 
Lake,” she explained, though I did manage to 
build * Seldom Inn ’ in a solitary-looking spot. 
And at Coronet Lake and Shadow, up the valley, 
there are more cottages. They’re beginning a 
system of wood-paths from one lake to another and 
up all the hills. Don’t try the dotted paths ; 
they’re not finished, but the others are perfectly 
plain and easy to follow. Which is prettiest? 
Why, Little Bubble Mountain, I believe, — the 
smaller of the two round-topped hills straight across 
the lake from the bungalow — has the finest view 
of any spot within reasonable distance of ^ Seldom 
Inn,’ and most of the way the path runs along by 
a delightful little brook.” 

So, in the pause while they waited for Friday 
evening’s dinner to cook, Margaret brought out 
the trail-map, and the girls traced all the possible 
walks for Saturday morning. Dinner was ani- 
mated with discussions of distances, map-scales, 
and the advisability of carrying luncheon along or 
coming home to it. Finally Margaret tactfully 
sounded Miss Cripps on her preferences for Satur- 
day morning. Consternation reigned when Miss 
Cripps announced that wood-paths were much too 
rough for her taste. 

167 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


I quite agree with you, Miss Cripps,'' sighed 
Kittie, who was even then looking forward un- 
happily to washing the dinner dishes. “ I will 
stay here and keep you company.” 

That disposed of Miss Cripps to perfection, and 
she and Miss Dutton saw no reason why the five 
remaining members of the party should not climb 
Little Bubble, if they wanted to, particularly 
since sober, reliable Margaret Lewis was one of 
the five. 

So it was in a thoroughly contented mood that 
the girls gathered about the fire after dinner. 

“ It’s silly to light it on such a summery night,” 
said Nancy, but we came to be silly if we felt 
like it, and to have a good time.” 

In a minute the flames were crackling and roar- 
ing splendidly. 

“ Isn’t it great I ” sighed Jane. 

What’s that ? ” cried little Christina, pointing 
at a tiny gray ball that shot out of the very center 
of the glowing fire. 

“ How weird ! ” cried Plain Mary, as the tiny 
thing darted back and forth across the stone 
hearth. 

“ Why, it’s only a dear little mouse ! ” announced 
Margaret, as the gray ball darted toward her. 

Oh I ” cried Nancy, jumping up. 

“ 0-o-o-h ! ” shrieked Miss Cripps, Kittie, Plain 

i68 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 

Mary, and Christina in agitated chorus, while Miss 
Dutton, Jane, and Margaret laughed at them, and 
Lloyd, creeping softly toward the little mouse, 
caught and held him gently in her hand. 

He’s more frightened than any of you,” she 
said, and no wonder. He’d built a house back 
there among the logs, I suppose.” 

“ And then giants burnt it over his head, and 
camped around outside to capture him,” said 
Nancy, coming closer, to look at the tiny, trem- 
bling captive. 

We’ll put him outside, and he can make a 
new nest under a log that won’t burn,” said Lloyd, 
carrying Mr. Mouse, shivering and miserable, to 
the door, where, after a quick glance about with 
his beady black eyes, he scurried off into the 
sheltering, friendly dark. 

It’s a sign of something or other, when a 
mouse runs out of the fire,” Miss Cripps was say- 
ing, back in the bright sitting-room. 

I think I’ve heard that too,” chimed in Mar- 
garet, but I can’t remember what it means. 
Wasn’t it eerie when that little gray shape crept 
out of the very heart of the fire? ” 

Perfectly ghostly,” said Jane. Can’t some 
one remember the sign ? Is it company or lovers 
or trouble ? ” 

Miss Cripps rather thought it was some sort of 
169 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

trouble, but what sort she wouldn^t venture to 
say. 

Perhaps we're going to get lost to-morrow," 
suggested Lloyd. ‘‘The poor little mouse was 
certainly lost when he ran out of his burning 
nest." 

“ It must mean something strange and un- 
usual," said Margaret, “ and rather unfortunate. 
A mouse that nests in a fireplace is certainly in 
trouble — trouble that it must puzzle his poor little 
head to understand." 

“ Yes, he must think he's dreaming bad 
dreams," suggested Nancy, “ when the fire wakes 
him up suddenly. I certainly thought I was 
dreaming when I saw him. And now," she 
added, “ I'm going to get ready to dream in 
earnest, — or to sleep in earnest anyhow, so I 
shall be up early in the morning. I advise the 
rest of the breakfast shift to do likewise." 

“ And I advise everybody else to do likewise," 
Miss Dutton added, “ because to-morrow is cer- 
tainly going to be our busy day." 

Jane and Nancy shared a dormer room, Kittie 
and Christina another, and Margaret and Lloyd 
the third, while Plain Mary, as the largest member 
of the party, was allotted the broad sitting-room 
couch, and shared Jane and Nancy's dressing- 
room. Getting settled took a great deal of talk 
170 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


and laughter, and then there were ghostly bedside 
conferences, and much giggling and whispering 
of secrets between roommates. No w^onder the 
breakfast shift, — since no one had thought to 
bring an alarm clock, — first overslept and then 
got into a nervous flutter that made effective haste 
impossible. So breakfast was half an hour later 
than had been planned, and the walking party 
set out to climb Little Bubble carrying a hastily 
prepared noonday snack,’’ and sternly resolved 
to get to the top in the scant time left them, if 
sprinting would do it. 

“ Racing along like this is the very best thing 
for Plain Mary, you know,” Jane told Nancy 
comfortingly. “ Hear her pant and wheeze ! ” 
Jane stooped to pull a pale brown puff-ball from 
a stump beside the path. It’s one of those things 
Miss Dutton was telling about,” she explained, 
that she said she and Lloyd would try to find 
enough of to fry for luncheon — no, for high tea — 
when we get back, hungry as wolves after this 
wild race. I say, Mary,” Jane ran ahead to join 
her stout friend, — say, Mary, what’ll you give 
me if I won’t call you Puff-ball ? ” 

Mary turned indignantly upon her questioner. 

Jane Learned, you promised ” 

“ Not to call you a name beginning with F,” 
supplied Jane pleasantly. And I’ve never re- 
171 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


gretted promising. Name beginning with F was 

quite ordinary and unoriginal, but Puff-ball 

Why, Mary, Puff-ball would fit you like a glove, 
and stick to you like a postage stamp. Puff-ball, 
Puff for short 

“ Jane ! ’’ begged Mary, with a hunted look on 
her fat face. Jane, please don’t talk so loud ! 
They’ll hear, and they’ll all call me that horrid, 
horrid name. You’re not a bit fair, but I’ll have 
to do it — whatever you want me to, I mean.” 

I merely desire,” explained Jane loftily, to 
see you renew your pristine enthusiasm for be- 
coming a sylph. You ate too much dinner yester- 
day and too much breakfast this morning. You’re 
planning to get Christina to turn back with you, 
when we stop at the next fork in the path to con- 
sult the trail-map.” 

“ Jane Learned I ” burst out Plain Mary. How 
can you ” 

Don’t argue,” cut in Jane loftily. You know 
very well that it’s no use.” 

Yes, I do know,” agreed Mary calmly, and 
when you interrupted just now I was only going 
to ask you how you can always find out what 
people are thinking.” 

Mary P. Smith,” smiled Jane, ‘^you are discern- 
ing, if you are no sylph. And if you want to turn 
back at the next fork, you may, as a reward for 
172 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


your remarkable appreciation of my genius in 
understanding my fellow beings. Incidentally, 
I’m about ready to turn back myself.” 

For travelers in a hurry the path up Little 
Bubble was distinctly irritating, in spite of its 
beauty. It twisted and turned and rambled ; it 
went up-hill and came down again ; it crossed a 
brook on an insecure log bridge, over which it was 
necessary to help poor Christina, who grew giddy 
easily ; and then it crossed back on stepping-stones. 
In short, the path to Little Bubble behaved a good 
deal like a pretty, spoiled child, bound to frolic 
along as it pleases, distracted by all the sights and 
sounds on the way, instead of marching straight 
forward, head up, eyes in front, to face the business 
of life. 

^*I don’t think I can go quite so fast any 
longer,” protested Christina finally. 

‘‘ I’m sure there are yellow lady-slippers down 
in that swampy place,” said Jane, craftily intent 
on securing a resting-space for her tired twin. 

I think so too. We’re missing lots of lovely 
things, of course, by hurrying so,” agreed Margaret, 
but I thought we all wanted to be the first Fair 
Oaks girls to climb Little Bubble.” 

Besides,” added Nancy, “ we set out to climb 
it and I, for one, want to accomplish what we set 
out to do.” 

173 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


“Of course’^ — Margaret, who was looking at 
her wrist-watch, had not paid much attention to 
Nancy's words, — “ we must be back exactly when 
we agreed to." She glanced at the path ahead. 
“ I do believe we're on the main slope of Little 
Bubble now, girls. Let's walk on fast till noon, — 
that’s only fifteen minutes more, — and then eat, 
whether we've reached the top or not. After that 
we can decide better what to do next.” 

Whether or not they were on Bubble, the path 
now changed its mood and climbed steadily and 
sharply upward. By noon even sturdy Margaret 
and energetic Nancy were ready to rest. Luckily 
Margaret discovered a spring near the path, so they 
had plenty of crystal clear water ; and if this was 
the same spring marked on the trail-map they were 
very near their goal — provokingly near, Nancy 
Lee felt, when, as they lay on a big flat rock rest- 
ing after their luncheon, girl after girl announced 
that she, for one, was not in favor of going further. 

“ I've made a martyr of myself by coming so 
far,” said Mary plaintively. 

“ I shall be tired to death before I get back to 
the station,” added little Christina. 

“ That's so,” commented Jane. “ We must 
count on getting to the station, you know, and not 
merely to the house.” 

“Margaret, let's just dash to the top, to say 
174 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


we’ve done it,” pleaded Nancy, who was tired too, 
but didn’t intend to admit it. 

Margaret looked at her watch again. Afraid 
we haven’t time, Nancy. You see, there’s not only 
the walk to the station to count in ; there’s getting 
our ^ high tea ’ ready. We can’t come limping in 
at the last minute and expect Kittie and Lloyd 
and the guests of honor to do all the work.” 

“ Of course not,” agreed Nancy. “ I’m no 
shirk,” she added, smiling at the remembrance of 
poor Kittie’s cure. But oh, I do want to go to 
the top so ! Margaret Lewis, you told me yourself 
that people ought to strengthen their characters by 
doing what they set out to. So I think you might 
come with me. We can run all the way down the 
hills and overtake the others as easily as anything.” 

I’m afraid I’d better not, Nancy,” Margaret 
told her, flushing a little. “ Hills and rough 
walking tire me a good deal. I shall have had all 
the exercise I want before night comes. I’m sorry, 

Nancy. You know ” 

Oh, that’s all right, Margaret,” Nancy cut in 
hastily, bound not to be, a second time, the cause 
of Margaret’s having to speak of her lameness. 
‘‘ Only I’m not tired — or only a tiny, tiny bit.” 

“ I say,” interposed Jane suddenly, “ do you sup- 
pose a mouse running out of a Are is a sign of 
sleeping over ? ” 


175 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


We certainly ran around like distracted mice, 
when we were hunting for the coffee this morning,'^ 
laughed Margaret. 

“ We're not lost yet anyway," said little Chris- 
tina. But we may be, I suppose, before we're 
back. We'd better not take any chances by trying 
that new way home." 

Unless it's a shorter way," pleaded Plain Mary 
wearily. 

But Nancy was not to be distracted from her 
purpose by futile discussions about a silly little 
mouse. ‘‘ Well," she announced briskly, I'm not 
worrying about that mouse. I'm going up to the 
top of Little Bubble. Since nobody wants to go 
with me, I'm going alone. I'm going to see the 
view and then run. Before you know I'm gone, I 
shall be back. Good-bye, ladies I " And Nancy 
was off, a flash of white up on the steep, rocky 
path among the spruce trees. 

“ You'd better not, N. Lee ! " shouted Jane. 

^‘You'll certainly get lost without the map," 
called Mary. 

You'll be scared, the woods are so still," 
shrieked Christina. 

Keep — looking — at — your — watch," chanted 
Margaret. She knew how swiftly the minutes 
slip by sometimes, when you are trying to do 
what you have set out to. 

176 


LOST ON LITTLE BUBBLE 


How much of her friends' warnings Nancy heard, 
they could not tell. She pulled off her ‘‘ near- 
Panama and waved it gaily at. them, while the 
sun, shining on her face, turned her crown of hair 
to spun gold. Then she turned and danced lightly 
up the steep slope. 

And this was the last Fair Oaks saw of Nancy 
Lee until that night, when, just as dreary dusk was 
settling into gruesome dark, she stumbled wearily up 
the dormitory steps. Her yellow hair was rumpled, 
her white jumper was white no longer, her hat 
brim was torn, and her tan walking-shoes were 
scarred and muddy. And over her left shoulder 
she carried a fat, sleepy, curly-haired, pink-fisted 
two-year baby. He was somewhat rumpled, like 
Nancy herself, but he was altogether adorable, 
nevertheless. He was the kind of baby that made 
Mary Ann, who opened the door for them, exclaim, 
The darlint ! ” before she had welcomed Nancy, 
and even impelled worried, frightened Miss Mar- 
shall to smile at him, as she rushed out of her 
study the minute the door clicked, to cry, Oh, 
Nancy, Nancy, where have you been ? 


177 


CHAPTER XII 


AN I-FORGOT GIRL’s ADVENTURE 

It was fortunate for the discipline of Fair Oaks 
School that the release bell rang just as Nancy 
Lee climbed the stairs to the third corridor. Nancy 
had been closeted with Miss Marshall in her study. 
Escorted by Miss Marshall, Miss Cripps, and Miss 
Dutton, none of whom had had the heart for 
dinner until she came back, she had gone to the 
dining-room, where Mary Ann served them all 
with a delicious hot supper. She had got it ready, 
she explained loftily, for her dear lady, but there^s 
enough for all of yez, an^ welcome to what she ainT 
wantin\” ' 

It was Mary Ann who had taken the baby from 
Nancy^s stiff arms and carried him, by a curiously 
circuitous route that served to relieve the minds 
and stimulate the curiosity of the frightened girls 
up-stairs, down to the servants^ parlor. 

“ And shure Cook’s put him to bed. Miss Mar- 
shall,” she explained, in answer to a question, 

where he belongs, an’ he’ll stay quiet till mornin’ 
if I can but be keepin’ them gals out. They’ll be 
178 


AN I-FORGOT GIRBS ADVENTURE 


pilin’ down th’ instant the bell rings, if not sooner, 
so I’ll lave yez to do yer own stretchin’ fur this 
last course and be goin’ down to tend to ’em. An’ 
don’t you be worritin’ at all ! ” 

Doors opened as Nancy and the bell reached her 
corridor together. They had been anxiously ajar 
— those doors — all through the study-hour, and 
Monday’s classes would feel the disastrous effects 
thereof. 

“ Oh, but we rejoice to see you sound and safe I ” 
cried Jeanne Durand quaintly. 

Great hat ! ” murmured Jane, her glance 
traveling from Nancy’s torn hat to her muddy 
boots. 

“ Oh, you poor tired darling ! ” Christina patted 
Nancy’s shoulder with a motherly, protecting air. 

“ Nancy ! ” exclaimed Grace Allen, who had 
evidently given up her roommate for lost and 
been crying about it. 

“ Where have you been ? ” demanded Lloyd and 
Kittie, for once in unison. “ And where did you 
get that baby ? ” 

Nancy smiled at them all rather wearily. I’m 
awfully glad to be back,” she said, and you can’t 
see the baby to-night, because Mary, Ann says so. 
But if you’ll run off and come again in five min- 
utes, after I’ve scrubbed up a bit ” — Nancy waved 
comprehensively at her disordered raiment — why, 
179 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


I’ll do my best to satisfy the worst of your curi- 
osity.” 

Five minutes later Nancy, in her becoming blue 
kimono, her yellow hair hanging in two smooth 
braids over her shoulders, sat cross-legged on 
Christina’s bed — because the twins’ bedroom was 
bigger than hers — and announced blandly to the 
girls, who huddled in a circle on the floor in 
front of her, that after her hot tub she felt exactly 
as good as new. 

“ Did you get scolded, Nancy ? ” asked some- 
body. 

Nancy shook her head. I guess I’m beyond 
scolding,” she sighed. “ And then the worst 
thing — taking the baby, I mean, — was an acci- 
dent. Even Miss Cripps said it might have hap- 
pened to any one. Girls, do you know, I think 
Miss Cripps loves babies 1 ” 

<< Very likely,” agreed Jane. But that’s no 
way to begin the tale of your adventures, N. Lee. 
Begin at the beginning.” 

“ Yes ! Tell us where you got the baby.” 

“ Do you know its name? ” 

“ Can it talk ? ” 

“ You shouldn’t call a baby ^ it,’ ’’ from Mildred. 

This one’s a boy ; Mary Ann said so.” 

“ I want to know where you were all the time,” 
from Lloyd. 

i8o 


AN I-FORGOT GIRNS ADVENTURE 


“ And I want to know what they said to you 
down-stairs/^ from Kittie. 

Great hat, girls I exasperated Jane Learned 
cut in on the flood of demands. Youfll never 
know anything at this rate. Now, Nancy, begin 
at the beginning. That^s when you left us, to 
climb to the top of Little Bubble. And anybody 
who interrupts again will be put out.’^ 

“ All right,^^ chorused the others. 

“ Sh ! commanded Jane. “ Now, Nancy.^’ 

Nancy laughed nervously. Why, it’s nothing 
to tell, really. I was just doing some of my usual 
careless things all the time, and they happened to 
turn out even worse than usual. After I left you 
girls, I went up to the top of the mountain, and 
hurrying down I got lost. And at the station a 
woman asked me ” 

“ Stop,” commanded Jane peremptorily. That’s 
no way ” 

“ You’re interrupting your own self,” shrieked 
the rest of the audience. Put Jane out I ” 

I am not interrupting, my friends,” demurred 
Jane with decision. '' An interruption is a re- 
mark that stops the story. Whereas my remark, 
if I had been permitted to flnish it, would have 
caused the story to proceed properly. Nancy Lee, 
you’ve studied the principles of narration and de- 
scription here for nearly a year. Now begin all 

i8i 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


over and tell us something. To quote one of our 
dear teachers, remember the value of picturesque 
details.^^ 

Nancy sighed and laughed and obediently 
started over. Well, if you want details about 
getting up to the top of Bubble, Jane, it was an 
awful scramble all the rest of the way, and I fell 
down and skinned my knee. But I kept thinking 
how much I wanted to be the first Fair Oaks girl 
to get up to the top ; so I went on. The view was 
lovely ; but I just glanced at it, because I was in 
such a hurry. I canT understand why I didnT 
overtake the rest of you before I got to the first 
fork in the path, where I went wrong, — or at least 
I suppose I went wrong there.’’ 

It probably took you longer to climb up than 
you thought. Did you keep looking at your 
watch ? ” asked Margaret. 

Nancy blushed. After a while I did, and it 
was a lot later than I supposed it could be. That 
worried me, and I ran, and didn’t notice that I 
was on an entirely different path, till I suddenly 
stepped right into a regular bog. Then I hated to 
go all the way back, so I went on, until the path 
began to grow narrow and hard to follow, and in a 
minute it ended, or I lost it. So I had to go back 
^ after all.” 

'' Weren’t you scared ? ” demanded Christina in 
182 


AN I-FORGOT GIRUS ADVENTURE 


awestruck tones. “ Woods are so dark and lone- 
some when you're all by yourself." 

And when you're lost," added Kittle in a 
solemn, hollow voice. 

“ It was sort of creepy," admitted Nancy, only 
I had to hurry so, and I was the most scared, I 
guess, for fear I should be too late to help about 
tea, and then you would all think I'd shirked. 
You see," added Nancy earnestly, I set out to get 
up Little Bubble and down again in time to help 
about tea. And I don't intend to set out to do 
anything more," she added with decision, “ except 
things that nobody could possibly get mixed up 
about, not even if they tried to on purpose." 

“ That's all right," said Jane soothingly. Go 
on now about being rather scared but not so very, 
after the wrong path went out on you, like a burnt 
match, and left you all at sea." 

Nancy laughed at Jane's mixed metaphor. 

This would be a splendid story, Jane, if you 
were telling it." 

I'm not, though," said Jane enviously. Do 
go on, Nancy." 

“ Well, the next thing that happened," pro- 
ceeded Nancy, was when I got to the other end 
of our lake. Tlrere was the path going back to the 
bungalow, and another one that skirted the other 
shore of the lake. That one had marked on its 
183 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

sign-board : ^ Lake path to town/ Well, I looked 
at my watch again, and decided that if I tried to 
go to the bungalow, I couldn't possibly, even by 
running a lot, get the four-forty train that we had 
planned to take home. I never thought that any 
one would wait for me at the bungalow, as Miss 
Dutton and Mary did, till almost five. So I just 
took the left-hand fork to town. When I got to 
the station, it was four-forty-five and nobody was 
there but a horrid one-eyed man, with brown skin 
and blue pictures on his arms." 

‘‘ Tattoo-marks, you mean, Nancy," interposed 
Lloyd. “ Lots of the herders have them." 

A tattooed man then," nodded Nancy. He 
said ‘ good-afternoon ' and stared at me, and the 
ticket window was closed, so finally I looked at 
the time-table on the wall and found another 
train at half-past six. Then I decided to go for a 
walk — not because I wouldn't a lot rather have 
sat down and rested, but the tattooed man was so 
unpleasant to be there alone with. So I went on 
up the road. After I'd gone a little way, I looked 
around and he wasn't following me, so I sat down 
by the side of the road to wait." 

“ And about that time," interposed Margaret, 
one distracted chaperon and five badly fright- 
ened girls were arranging with the village con- 
stable to send a search party up Little Bubble, 
184 


AN I-FORGOT GIRLS ADVENTURE 

and then rushing to the station to hear the fatal 
' no news ' from Miss Dutton and Mary, and to 
catch the five-ten for home and Miss Marshall, 
who would think what else could be done/’ 

Oh, dear I ” sighed Nancy. '' If only I’d 
noticed in the first place that I was looking at 
the Sunday train-schedule I It does seem as if 
I never had so many things go wrong in one day 
before.” 

Do hurry and get to the baby,” begged Chris- 
tina. 

“ Do ! ” chorused the others. 

Well,” began Nancy, “ while I was sitting by 
the roadside, just where the woods begin and the 
cross-path to ' Seldom Inn,’ a woman came along 
carrying the baby. She said good-afternoon and 
I said good-afternoon, and then she said it was 
‘ hard nuts carrying a heavy kid ’ and sat down 
beside me. She was dark like the man, and she 
had a blue handkerchief over her head instead of 
a hat, and big earrings in her ears. But she had 
a nice, pleasant face, and I wasn’t afraid of her. 
And besides, the baby was awfully cunning — oh, 
girls, he’s certainly a perfect dear ! — and he 
laughed and grabbed at my hat, and I began to 
play with him, and then the woman and I got to 
talking. I was tired too, though I hadn’t any- 
thing to carry but myself; and I told her all 
185 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


about our party and how I’d gone off alone and 
got lost and all. She asked lots of questions about 
me and Fair Oaks and the other girls. I re- 
member she asked twice whether there were man}^ 
rich girls in the school, and she laughed when I 
said I really didn’t know. After a while she got 
up and started off toward the station. ^ I’m going 
to take the kid to see his granny,’ she told me. 
I asked her if her train went at half-past six, and 
she said she thought so. In a few minutes I 
happened to think that my watch might be slow, 
so I went back too.” Nancy paused. Am I 
giving enough details ? ” she demanded tantaliz- 
ingly. “ One horrible detail that I almost forgot 
to mention was that I’d walked a blister on my 
left heel, and it hurt.” 

Do go on, Nancy ! ” 

Hurry, and get to the baby.” 

It’s babies, not blisters, we are interested in.” 
Shi” 

The woman was at the station,” continued 
Nancy. When I got there, I remember she was 
standing by the window writing something with 
a pencil the ticket man had lent her. I asked 
about my train, and found it went at quarter-past 
six on week days. Then I sat down, and she 
didn’t pay any attention to me. Once she went 
out on the platform and talked to the horrid man, 
1 86 


AN NFORGOT GIRNS ADFENTURE 


who was still there. I heard her say ^ So long, 
Jake ! You^d better go and hitch up.' Then he 
went off, and she sat down and fussed with the 
baby^s clothes for a while. I wanted awfully to 
go and play with the baby some more, but I 
didn’t, because I thought perhaps it wouldn’t be 
proper, when the woman looked so queer — though 
I guess she looked a good deal more respectable 
than I did,” laughed Nancy. 

“ Well, finally it got to be almost quarter-past 
six, and all of a sudden the woman screamed, and 
jumped up and said she’d forgotten her satchel, 
and would I hold the baby while she went to the 
store after it — she’d left it there, right across the 
street. ^ If I ain’t back when the train comes, get 
on with the kid and save me a seat,’ she said. 

The baby was too sweet for anything. He 
cuddled right down in my lap and went to sleep, 
and when the train came I got on as she told me 
to, without waking him out of his nap. And the 
train started, and the woman didn’t come, but I 
thought she was in some other car, and she wasn’t, 
so I got off at the next station, six miles further 
on, and they telegraphed back, and the ticket man 
at Bubble Station said, was she a gypsy and did 
she have a dark, ugly man with her. Because if 
so, the whole camp was gone — vanished into tlie 
woods like ghosts — and he didn’t believe they’d 
187 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

ever be seen again. So I took the next train the 
rest of the way here, and — well, you can^t just 
drop a baby, you know,” ended Nancy, apolo- 
getically, so I had to bring him along.” 

There was a chorus of amazed “ Ohs ! ” from 
the audience, whom Nancy’s rapid, almost un- 
punctuated climax had left quite breathless with 
excitement. 

“ Do you suppose a mouse running out of a fire 
does really mean getting lost?” inquired Lloyd 
Mallory. 

Or does it mean an adventure ? ” suggested 
Margaret. 

“ Or a baby,” sighed Jane, who was bursting 
with envy of Nancy. 

Tell us more about the baby, Nancy,” begged 
Christina. 

Nancy’s tired eyes sparkled suddenly. “ Well, 
he’s awfully fat,” she began, and I agree with 
the woman that he’s hard to carry. But oh, he’s 
so sweet I He has little yellowish curls down in 
his neck and on his forehead. He has some cun- 
ning little teeth. I don’t know whether or not 
he can really talk. He called me something that 
sounded like ‘ Mamma,’ and he wasn’t a bit afraid 
of me ; so maybe he mistook me for his real 
mother, — if that woman was his mother. Of 
course,” explained Nancy hastily, “ we don’t look 
1 88 


JN I-FORGOT GIRUS ADVENTURE 

much alike, but it was pretty dark in the train 
and at that little station where we stopped to tele- 
phone. His hands are too cute for anything — all 
pink and dimpled. He can walk some, I guess, 
only I didn’t dare to let him try. And he acts 
awfully bright. Mary Ann seems to know a lot 
about babies, and she says he’s a lovely one. He 
slept most of the way here,” ended Nancy, looking 
as if the idea of sleeping appealed to her too. 

But just then there was a businesslike knock on 
the twins’ study door, and Mary Ann, who knew 
a lot about babies, stalked in. 

“ Miss Nancy here ? ” she demanded. “ Cook 
found this ’ere letter pinned on the baby’s petti- 
coat. It’s fer you most likely. Miss Nancy, but I 
read it to make sure, and then I wa’n’t sure, so I 
took it to my dear lady. The baby’s asleep, the 
darlint ! No, you can’t see him to-night. Miss 
Jane. I’ll be sayin’ good-avnin’ to yez all.” 

The note, scrawled on a scrap of dirty wrapping- 
paper, was not addressed to any one in particu- 
lar. 

‘‘ ime tired lookin’ after a babby,” it ran. '' we 
stole him out west fer the reward, the rich people 
they never bit. Jake will be mad he likes him 
but im sick of it. it’s a hard life i have anyways. 
All the same i alwais treeted the kid right, praps 
some rich gerl will take him. You’ll never find 
189 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


his peple we couldn’t an now its ten monts sense 
he was stole. 

“ We call him Timmy. 

“ he was stole in Mizzori. 

Wen you git this we will be Gone. 

Hes two yer old and kan talk some.” 

Long before Nancy had finished deciphering it, 
Jane had calmly appropriated the paper, and halt- 
ingly, with some help from Nancy and Margaret, 
she read its contents aloud, her audience growing 
more excited with the completion of each clumsy, 
ill-spelled sentence. 

‘‘ They kidnapped him ! ” 

Out in Missouri.” 

“They call him Timmy. What a horrid name 
for a cute baby ! ” 

“ Two years old, and think of the awful things 
that have happened to him ! ” 

“ Jake was the tattooed man, I suppose.” 

“ That’s why she asked about the rich girls in 
the school. She evidently wanted him to be ‘ treeted 
right,’ even if she was sick of him.” 

“ Well, Nancy Lee,” Jane summed up the whole 
matter, “ this is the biggest prize excitement that 
ever dropped out of a clear sky on anybody’s head. 
Wish it had hit me ! ” 

Nancy stared. “ You don’t understand, Jane. 
The gypsies are gone, and anyway the woman isn’t 
190 


AN I-FORGOT GIRNS ADVENTURE 

with them. Or at least Miss Marshall has been 
telephoning, and a woman like her took the train 
at the station beyond Bubble Lake — an express 
train West. Miss Marshall doesn’t think she can 
be found, nor that the others in the party can be 
held responsible, if they don’t want the baby.” 

‘‘ Well, anyhow,” said Plain Mary, who had 
listened in silent, spellbound amazement to the 
tale of Nancy’s adventures, “ it’s not her baby nor 
their baby, if the letter is true. And it sounds 
true ; nobody would think to make up all that.” 

You’re trying to say, Mary,” interposed Jane, 
that truth is stranger than fiction.” 

All right,” agreed Mary. But what I was 
really trying to say is that, if the baby is as dear 
as Nancy says, we ought to be thankful that he 
has been rescued from those horrid gypsies. I 
saw the man, Nancy, in the station when we took 
the train that you didn’t notice on the time-card. 
I suppose he was Jake, who liked the baby. But 
I shouldn’t want him to touch any baby that I 
liked.” 

“ Do you suppose,” demanded Kitty suddenly, 
** that if the baby’s mother and father are trying 
to find him, and should find him now, they’d 
arrest Nancy for kidnapping?” 

“ Oh, dear ! ” sighed Nancy in despairing tones. 
“ That’s something I hadn’t thought of.” 

191 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


They wouldn’t think of it, either,” Margaret 
assured her. They’d love you for having been 
the means of getting him into good hands.” 

“ Can he stay here, Nancy ? ” asked Lloyd 
anxiously, fearing lest the curious restrictions 
which hedged her about at Fair Oaks might also 
rule out stray babies. 

“ Where can he go if he doesn’t stay here ? ” 
demanded practical Christina. 

“ Oh, dear, I don’t know,” Nancy answered them 
sadly. I don’t know what’s to happen about 
anything. I only know that it’s all my fault — that 
is, I did know that, but after seeing the woman’s 
letter I don’t feel quite so dreadfully to blame. 
I’m just all mixed up.” Nancy’s face grew white 
suddenly, and her eyelids drooped. And I’m 
tired all the way through. Let me get into bed 
quick, please.” 

Nancy was still tired enough the next morning 
to take advantage of Miss Marshall’s suggestion 
that she breakfast in bed. But as soon as she had 
eaten her strawberries, her habitual energy re- 
turned, and, as she nibbled her rolls, she wrote of 
“ The Most Exciting Day of my Life ” in the Red 
Journal. 

‘‘So my motto is worse than Grace’s ever 
thought of being,” began the concluding para- 
graph. “ It sounds so safe and so improving, but 
192 


AN I-FORGOT GIRVS ADVENTURE 


see how it worked I It wasn't out of a great 
author's book, either. 

“ Excitements are nice in a way. Jane is ready 
to cry because she didn't go along with me and 
have this one drop on her. But everything is so 
fearfully complicated. Jane says I'm a heroine, 
but I know I'm a careless girl. 

“ I think I see the Ogre walking in the Princess's 
garden, so I guess I'll get up. Maybe before I go 
to algebra I may see the baby. I wonder if he'll 
know me. If he doesn't, why, he doesn't know 
anybody in the whole world, except people that 
are lost, poor baby ! 

' Afternoon recreation : 

One thing is setted out of all the mix-up. I'm 
to stay in bounds for two weeks because I wasn't 
back at the bungalow when I was told to be, and 
because I climbed up Bubble alone, which wasn't 
what I had permission to do. Miss Marshall said 
that perhaps my ‘ subsequent misfortunes might 
be considered punishment enough,' but she thinks 
best to add a definite penalty. That's because I'm 
N. Lee (which stands for an I-Forgot Girl). 

N. B. I know Miss Marshall is right. Having 
the girls treat me like a heroine had sort of made 
me feel like one, I guess, and that's no way for me 
to feel. Besides, having a strenuous motto isn’t 

193 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


any excuse for staying out over-hours, so there’s 
no doubt that I deserve the penalty. Anybody 
but Miss Marshall would have thought I deserved 
more than that. She’s so fair, never mixing up 
the accidental results of things (like the baby) 
with the things themselves, that you’re really to 
blame for (like going further up Bubble than I 
had time for and going alone). I do want to be 
taught not to be careless — only sometimes it’s 
pretty hard to learn. 

“ N. B. The rest of the Ogre’s Fair Oaks friends 
are out motoring in his car. Mary Ann has taken 
the baby riding in Cook’s little sister’s go-cart. 
It’s a gorgeous day. No, I’m not crying. Red 
Journal — not now ! ” 

As the Ogre’s motor-party came back from their 
ride, they happened to overtake Mary Ann and the 
baby, and Dr. Jim gathered them in, go-cart and all, 
and took them for an extra turn through the vil- 
lage — Mary Ann mournfully bewailing the absence 
of her best hat, wid a red rose an’ a streamin’ 
white feather, sor, on behint.” When they were 
back at Fair Oaks once more, Dr. Jim lifted 
out the baby, — who was gurgling joyously and 
calling all his new friends mamma ” in a friendly 
fashion that made poor Mary Ann quite mad with 
jealousy, — swung him up on his shoulder, and 
carried him on a sort of triumphal progress round 
194 


AN I-FORGOT GIRUS ADVENTURE 


the campus, annexing more followers at every 
step. 

Nancy was watching the show forlornly from a 
hammock down by the boat-house, longing to 
join in the fun, but hesitating because Dr. Jim 
must know of the disgraceful reason that had kept 
her from going on the motor-trip. 

But Dr. Jim spied her and called, Come on, 
Miss Nancy, and help me show off your baby I in 
such a hearty fashion that Nancy forgot her em- 
barrassment and ran up the hill. 

Dr. Jim was just swinging the laughing baby 
off his shoulder. Well, you^re certainly a 
friendly, cheerful specimen. Master Timmy,” he 
said, setting Timmy carefully on his feet. Now, 
sir, can you walk ? I thought so ! Hello, Miss 
Nancy ! He wanted you too, you see.” 

Nancy blushed with pleasure, as Timmy, curls 
bobbing, fat arms waving, fat legs pumping in un- 
certain, baby haste, ran straight for his oldest 
friend, gurgling Mamma,” this time with a joyous 
conviction that made his devoted Mary Ann fairly 
dance with rage, though she loved him more than 
ever for ^‘showing off” so effectively. 

Shure, doctor, there's some words he do bo 
sayin' with the right meanin's,” Mary Ann ex- 
plained significantly, wiggling the go-cart suggest- 
ively at her small charge. '' He called out at ivry 

195 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

horse we was after meetin’, he did, and he got it 
right ivry time/^ 

“ Good for Timmy ! ” smiled Dr. Jim. 

“He said ^choo-choo^ to the train, added 
Nancy proudly, sitting down on the grass to let 
Timmy fulfil his very evident desire to pull her 
hair. 

“ He’s a great boy,” said Dr. Jim, beaming on 
the assembly, “ and a great addition to Fair Oaks. 
I feel much more at home with a fine fellow like 
Timmy on hand to keep me in countenance among 
so many ladies.” 

Timmy suddenly lost interest in Nancy’s hair 
and looked curiously around him. Then, with a 
gurgle of joy, he stood up carefully, hanging by 
Nancy’s arm, and tottered straight across the circle 
of girls to Vera Lawson. Vera was standing a 
little apart from the others, smiling a very effective 
smile, with which she had meant, undoubtedly, 
to impress Dr. Jim. Unfortunately it only im- 
pressed Timmy, who ran up to Vera and attempted 
a coy conquest of the school beauty by burying his 
curly head in her white serge skirt. 

Her smile vanished. Vera stooped and firmly 
detached the small clinging fingers from her im- 
maculate draperies. 

“ Take him, please,” she ordered Mary Ann. “ I 
— he — oh, thank you,” — as Mary Ann, stalking 
196 


AN I-FORGOT GIRNS ADVENTURE 

scornfully forward, gathered the astonished baby 
into her strong, kindly arms, and then calmly de- 
fied Dr. Jim’s recent hints about the rules of 
modern hygiene by kissing him — on both cheeks. 

Dr. Jim did not return to the subject of 
modern hygiene. Instead he smiled his best smile 
at Mary Ann, and started back to his car, trun- 
dling the go-cart, which she had quite forgotten in 
her indignation at Vera’s haughty behavior. 

“ I shall be up again soon,” he promised Plain 
Mary, when, after a brief interview with Miss Mar- 
shall, he prepared to depart. Not to see you, 
young woman ! That baby is the magnet that 
draws me. Also, I’ve made a proposition to Miss 
Marshall, that I may have to see her again about. 
By the way, Mary, your friend Miss Lawson doesn’t 
seem to care for babies.” 

Poor Mary blushed silently for Vera. 

Oh, well, we can’t all think alike,” Dr. Jim 
said kindly. But I’m glad you aren’t that kind 
of girl. I’m glad that you and Miss Nancy and 
Miss Jane are all just as crazy about young Timmy 
as I am. Good-bye, Mary. Write me about 
Timmy.” And Dr. Jim was off at top speed, as 
usual. 


197 


CHAPTER XIII 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 

“ Timmy may stay for a few days, if he doesn’t 
interfere with the regular routine of our work.” 

So, with informal brevity, did Fair Oaks re-phrase 
Miss Marshall’s eagerly awaited announcement 
about the immediate disposal of the baby. 

He was no longer merely “ the baby.” He was 
Timmy. Timmy may not be the ideal name for 
an altogether adorable two-year-old infant, with a 
smile for everybody, words for the really interest- 
ing features of his world, such as horses, dogs, and 
“ choo-choos,” and emphatic gestures and gurgles 
whereby to indicate and enforce his numerous de- 
mands upon life. But, as Jane Learned said, “ He’s 
used to it, and it’s the only thing he can keep that 
he is used to, his own clothes all having been 
burned up in the interests of sanitation. Of course 
it’s possible that Timmy is his real name. And 
besides, if we undertook to rechristen him, think 
of the row there’d be I ” 

During the forty-eight hours in which Timmy’s 
fate hung in the awful balance between the desire 
198 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 

of all Fair Oaks that he should stay where he 
was for the present, and Dr. Jim's very generous 
offer to put him in a children's hospital in Boston, 
pending the success of Miss Marshall's advertise- 
ments in Missouri and Middle Western papers, — 
during those difficult forty-eight hours it could 
not truthfully be said that the school routine ran 
in its accustomed well-oiled grooves. 

‘‘ If Timmy's going in a day or two, let's not 
have any crew-practice till then," suggested Mar- 
garet Lewis to Billy Bray. 

“ I hadn't intended to have any this afternoon," 
retorted the Red captain rather crossly. Not for 
the world would brusque Billy Bray have acknowl- 
edged that she preferred playing with babies like 
Timmy to commanding the good ship “ Invin- 
cible." 

Please couldn't we sew to-day, instead of hav- 
ing outdoor exercises ? " begged Christina Learned 
of Madame Lamark. '' Then we could make some 
cunning little clothes for Timmy. The ones that 
Miss Cr — the ones that were bought for him don't 
let him look half so cute as he really is." 

“ But you need ze air and ze exercise," Madame 
told her, and Timmy is warm and happy in ze 
ugly ready-mades. You were not so attentive last 
week. Miss Learned, that I should suspect you of 
loving to sew for a baby." 

199 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

Lloyd Mallory, who had not learned to spend 
money, remembered the crumpled roll of bills in 
her bureau drawer, and blushingly tendered all 
but one, which she might need, to the friendly 
Miss Dutton, who had won her heart by under- 
standing the magic of violet-beds. For Timmy, 
she explained. To — oh, to take care of him, you 

know.'^ Lloyd rushed off to hide her embarrass- 
ment, and then returned to add, I think father 
will give me more for him, when that’s gone.” 

“ But you must ask your father’s permission, 
Lloyd, before you give away this,” Miss Dutton 
told her. And meanwhile you certainly ought 
to open a bank account. It’s not right to leave 
such a sum of money around your rooms. It’s 
putting temptation in the way of the servants.” 

“ Yes, Miss Dutton,” said Lloyd meekly, puz- 
zled anew over the odd distinctions and regula- 
tions that prevailed in this strange world, where 
money and the possession of money exerted an 
influence that Lloyd could not understand. 

Cook and Mary Ann bore themselves, through 
these days, with a sudden accession of impor- 
tance, — somewhat difficult in the case of Mary Ann, 
who was already ultra-important, — such as be- 
fitted young Timmy’s caretakers and special 
guardians. But when Mary Ann started proudly 
out to give Timmy his airing, she found her way 
200 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 

beset by determined, cajoling damsels, with fire in 
their eyes for one another, and bribes in both 
hands for Mary Ann, who was, '' Please to let me 
take Timmy just while you call on Mrs. Barton’s 
parlor-maid,” — Only as far as the corner,” — All 
by myself, please, dear Mary Ann.” 

Cook complained that ghostly figures flitted 
about her bedroom door, waiting a chance to see 
Timmy asleep. And every teacher — except one — 
complained of poorly prepared lessons and wan- 
dering attention. The indulgent exception was 
Miss Cripps, whose own attention was far too 
distracted by the charms of Timmy to note the 
distraction of her pupils, and whose agitation at 
the thought of having those charms buried from 
her ken in a city hospital was at least as acute as 
that of any of her sentimental young charges. 

But Miss Marshall’s announcement put a sudden 
and decisive end to all these unbecoming vagaries 
of conduct. If the girls didn’t let Timmy inter- 
fere with their school work, he should stay. Miss 
Marshall promised, until some definite plans could 
be made for his future. Perhaps that might not 
be until the spring term had ended. Everything 
depended, of course, upon the promptness with 
which the advertisements she had sent broadcast 
were answered. They might not be answered at 
all ; indeed the letter pinned to Timmy’s skirt 
201 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


might be a delusive fabrication. But the possi- 
bility that its statements were true must be acted 
upon, before anything else could be done about 
disposing of the baby. 

“ So here’s hoping that Timmy’s parents don’t 
turn up too soon I ” said Jane Learned. And 
meanwhile it’s jolly well up to us, as the saying 
goes. It’s up to us to keep Timmy. The girl 
who flunks or fuddles or breaks rules will here- 
after be considered a public enemy, and will be 
treated as such. That’s a Rule, Christina darling ; 
so buck up on your hated algebra. Nobody can 
do more than her best, but don’t forget that what 
you have never done before, you can do again, — 
for Timmy.'^ 

‘‘For Timmy,” speedily came to be a sort of 
watchword at Fair Oaks. Of course, like other 
watchwords with which Nancy Lee had experi- 
mented, this one held unsuspected pitfalls. When 
Kittie Westervelt went down-town without arrang- 
ing for proper chaperonage, to have her heart- 
shaped locket — no longer fashionable enough for 
Kittie’s own wear, — marked with Timmy’s name, 
she was amazed to find that her charitable motive 
held no excuse. Miss Marshall adjudged the ac- 
customed penalty — a week within bounds — and 
relentlessly added a special theme on “ Sensible 
Charity,” over which illogical, empty-headed 
202 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


Kittie wept bitter tears, in spite of Miss Cripps’s 
unusual leniency in the matter of the paragraph- 
ing. Besides this, poor Kittie suffered the pitiless 
displeasure of her friends. So did Jane Learned, 
when Madame Lamark found her “ outside work ” 
in sewing carelessly and hastily done. So even 
did the wonderful Vera Lawson, when she was 
caught in possession of smuggled caramels. It 
was up to the girls to keep Timmy, and the 
surest way — the only way — was to achieve ex- 
emplary behavior. Never before had there been 
such a reign of order, studiousness, and spontane- 
ous obedience at Fair Oaks School for Girls. 

Nancy Lee welcomed the turn of public senti- 
ment as an added incentive toward the avoidance 
of that fatal red circle, the appearance of which on 
her “ Neatness and Order record would plunge 
her into dire disgrace. If she was on probation, 
so now, in a manner, were all the rest of the girls ; 
and Timmy^s continued presence depended upon 
their being true to the terms of their parole. 

Of course Nancy Lee cared a little more about 
Timmy than any one else. She loved babies in 
general, and adorable babies in particular. And 
then, hadn’t she found this baby and brought him 
home? And didn’t Cook slyly give her nut-cake 
between meals, and the haughty Mary Ann call 
her “ dearie,” in consequence ? 

203 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


To be sure, Timmy was connected, though with- 
out any evil intentions on his part, with Nancy’s 
being, for two interminable weeks, obliged to take 
her outdoor exercise on a certain constricted por- 
tion of the campus, which included only one in- 
ferior tennis court, the outdoor basket-ball field, 
now practically deserted, the croquet-ground, and 
the beginners’ swimming pool. From this Nancy 
had long since graduated, but now she humbly 
returned, to paddle mournfully about with little 
Sarah and the “ duffers ” like Plain Mary, who 
tried faithfully day after day, but apparently 
couldn’t learn the strokes. 

Three separate times within the two unending 
weeks, the Ogre’s gray car drove dashingly up to 
the dormitory door, and Plain Mary, Jane, and 
Vera, with Miss Cripps or Miss Dutton to chaperon, 
and Christina or Margaret or Mildred in the places 
left vacant by Nancy and Kittie’s being in 
bounds,” went spinning off on gay expeditions in 
search of fresh air, fun, and “ tea.” Once Miss 
Marshall acted as chaperon, and that day they 
took Timmy along. Nancy felt then that her cup 
of woe was full ; but if so, it must have dripped 
over when Billy Bray, who had not noticed the 
curtailment of Nancy’s liberty, came to her with 
an astounding proposal. 

“ The Blue Crew have lent us their boat to use 
204 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


for trial races, and we’re returning the favor with 
ours. They plan to race against just scrub crews, 
picked up when the time comes ; but I’m going to 
pit the Reds against the best outside material I 
can get hold of So I’m regularly organizing a 
^ sub ’ crew, and I want you to captain it.” 

Nancy blinked hard, as she explained that for 
five days more (counting Sunday) she couldn’t 
even visit the boat-house to watch the Invincibles 
pull out ; and as for asking her to row on a sub ” 
crew, Billy might just as well invite her to fiy to 
the moon. 

Billy did not harrow Nancy’s feelings with futile 
expressions of sympathy. ‘‘Too bad,” she said 
brusquely. “ Five days means to next Wednes- 
day, doesn’t it? Then I’ll hold the place for you 
till then. It’s only fair, after all the time you 
spent practicing with us. Besides, we want 
you.” 

Nancy could have hugged Billy — if Billy had 
not walked off before she had caught her breath 
for joy. To help the Invincibles to victory, to be 
in the confidence of their adored captain, to know 
the signs and passwords and the “ inside ” crew- 
gossip, to be herself a captain, though only of 
“ subs ” — that was surely a close next-best to being 
in the Red Boat. And they would w^it five days 
for her ! 


205 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


‘‘ They shanT be sorry,” she resolved. “ They 
shall see that I’m worth waiting for. I’ll give them 
some practice-races ! And I won’t miss a single 
day — no, not even if Dr. Jim asks me to go motor- 
ing and hold Timmy in my lap all the way.” 

Luckily Nancy was saved the necessity of this 
crowning renunciation. It was fully two weeks 
before Dr. Jim came to see Mary again ; and then 
he merely ran down from the Castle for a hasty 
after-dinner call. Mary went in alone to greet 
him, but in a few moments she was off again in 
search of Nancy and Jane. 

He’s come over here to be cheered up,” she ex- 
plained excitedly, and when I said I’d get you 
two to help — because I’m rather afraid of him 
when he’s so dreadfully sober — he seemed to like 
the idea.” 

Feeling ogre-ish again, is he? ” asked Jane, as 
the three girls hurried from the dusky campus, 
where most of the school was wandering about, 
to the little reception-room where the Ogre was 
waiting. 

“ Don’t, Jane,” objected Nancy, who had grown 
very fond of Dr. Jim since his many kindnesses 
to Timmy. He’s not cross ; he’s worried, and 
maybe it’s about that same poor boy — the one he 
wanted the moon for. I’ve noticed that the Ogre 
is awfully fond of boys — little ones like Timmy, 
206 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


and bigger ones like those we meet out motoring, 
or like that sick Rob/^ 

Yes,'' agreed Jane, the Ogre can put up with 
girls, particularly slender ones, but deep down in 
his crusty heart he is all for boys — sensible old 
Ogre ! " 

By the time they reached the reception-room. 
Dr. Jim had discovered the loveliness of the 
dusky campus, and insisted upon joining the 
strollers there. 

Mary pulled Jane back to walk with her. 

Nancy will talk to him about Timmy," she 
whispered. She had Timmy out with her to- 
day, trotting around the croquet-ground, and he 
was awfully dear and comical. That will cheer 
up Dr. Jim." 

But Nancy, never thinking that the great 
Dr. Arnold James might not care to discuss his 
patients with her — realizing only that, when you 
are worried, talking does help a little — Nancy did 
not so much as mention the comical Timmy. In- 
stead she smiled sympathetically up into the tall 
doctor's grave face, and asked, “ How's that poor 
boy, Rob ? " 

Dr. Jim started in surprise, and then smiled 
gratefully down at Nancy. “ Yes, I was thinking 
about Rob," he acknowledged. “ I was wondering 
whether, when he gets out of hospital, he’d be 
207 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


lonesome up on my farm in the Berkshires, or 
happy there/’ 

So he’s going to have the rest and change that 
you said he needed?” asked Nancy tactfully, not 
bothering Dr. Jim with questions about Rob’s stay 
in the hospital, of which she had not heard before. 

He’s going to have a little of it at least,” 
Dr. Jim told her. He’s been operated on since 
I first spoke to you about him — for a bad arm that 
he’d smashed in an accident at his father’s mill, 
and that didn’t get proper care and rest while it 
was healing. And his family is at last waking up 
to the fact that, if he doesn’t get rid of his cough 
before long, he never will. So they’re at last re- 
signed to losing him for a paltry three months or 
so ; and that gives me my chance.” 

“Do you ever go to your farm?” demanded 
Nancy abruptly. 

“ Once in two or three weeks I spend a night 
there.” 

“ Then,” said Nancy, “ I think Rob will like it 
there. He’ll have your visits to look forward to, 
and every time you come he’ll be a little better 
and stronger, and he’ll have that to look forward 
to. And between times he’ll have the farm ani- 
mals. All boys like animals. But if this Rob is 
sort of serious and doesn’t care much about fun, 
I advise you to get him a puppy. A person 
208 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


can’t be very serious or lonely with a puppy 
around.” 

Again Dr. Jim’s tired face flashed into a sudden 
smile. “ Miss Nancy, that’s an idea I I’ll buy a 
puppy to-morrow, and Rob shall take him out to 
the farm himself. If keeping a puppy out of mis- 
chief, according to the severe standards of my old 
caretaker, doesn’t get Rob’s mind out of its rut 
and put a little youth and fun into him, I don’t 
know puppies or boys.” 

The next minute he turned to joke Jane on the 
absurd appearance of her shadow. Then he chal- 
lenged Mary to race him to Mrs. Barton’s fence, 
where, announcing gaily that he should be up 
again before young Timmy is a week older,” he 
left them. 

But in a minute he was back, with amusing ex- 
cuses for having neglected to escort the ladies ” 
to their own door. 

He’s cheered up all right,” said Jane to Nancy, 
when the final good-byes had been said. What 
did you talk about ? ” 

“ Puppies, mostly,” answered Nancy demurely, 
puppies and that boy Rob. The Ogre thinks he 
can get the moon for him after all.” 

What did I tell you? ” triumphed Jane. I 
knew our Ogre could get the moon, if he wanted 
it so much. And while we’re on the subject of 
209 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


this boy with no last name, — and so Nancy boldly 
calls him Rob, — don’t you think we ought to 
choose a last name for Timmy? Last names 
aren’t so important as first ones, so there won’t 
be any great row over it, perhaps. Anyhow, row 
or no row, it ought to be attended to. Timmy’s 
parents may not show up for weeks and weeks, 
if they ever do. Meanwhile it’s up to us to see to 
it that he has his rights. And a whole name, with 
at least two parts to it, is the right of every two- 
year-old kiddie. Let’s go and talk to Miss Mar- 
shall about it this very minute.” 

The results of Jane’s eloquent defense of the 
thesis that every two-year-old kiddie ” has a right 
to a regular temporary name ” reached beyond 
Jane’s wildest dreams. Miss Marshall laughingly 
admitted that one name, and that so plebeian as 
Timmy, ill matched the deserts of our baby ” ; 
and she deftly warded off the “ row ” that Jane 
had foreseen by asserting unhesitatingly that 
Nancy Lee was the proper person to complete 
Timmy’s cognomen. 

Then I’ll do it right away. Miss Marshall,” 
said Nancy, dimpling. I suppose Timmy is 
short for Timothy, isn’t it? I name our baby 
Timothy Marshall.” 

‘‘ Why, Nancy, how very, very nice ! ” cried 
Miss Marshall, with an unsteady little laugh that 
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PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


was fall of real pleasure. This is one of the 
sincerest compliments I ever had paid me. Tell 
me, does giving Timmy my surname, temporarily, 
mean that I’m to be allowed to adopt him — tem- 
porarily ? I should like ” 

“ Oh, but we all want to adopt him, please,” 
begged Plain Mary. “ Couldn’t we take turns in 
really looking after him? Wouldn’t you please 
speak to Mary Ann about it. Miss Marshall? We 
could be trusted if somebody told us how first. 
And it’s certainly a useful thing for girls to learn, 
— to look after a small child.” 

“ It certainly is, Mary,” agreed Miss Marshall 
promptly. And I will consult Cook and Mary 
Ann at once. They’ve been so kind, and done so 
much for the baby, in addition to all their regular 
work, that we owe them every consideration. But 
they’ll be generous, I know. With their help we 
will make out a schedule of hours and duties, 
which the girls who want to share in ‘ adopting ’ 
Timmy shall fill in. Only learning to wash and 
dress and undress and feed a baby mustn’t inter- 
fere with the other lessons, of course ” 

Oh, no. Miss Marshall ! ” cried the three am- 
bassadors, in so eager a chorus that Miss Marshall 
laughed in their faces. 

“ How shall I ever keep you in order after 
Timmy is gone ? ” she sighed. Then, with a swift 

2II 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


change of expression, she added gaily, Vwe thought 
of something, girls. Please let us keep Timmy^s 
new name, that I^m so proud of, a secret among us 
until — well, until I give the word.^^ 

Next morning after chapel exercises. Miss Mar- 
shall gravely explained about “ the new elective 
course in baby-tending, which the baby^s present 
caretakers, overworked though they must be, have 
reluctantly consented to allow me to establish. A 
professional nurse from Boston, highly recom- 
mended by Dr. Arnold James, will give lectures 
and practical demonstrations, as preliminary to the 
real work of the course. Candidates will kindly 
inscribe their names on the paper provided for 
that purpose and posted on the official bulletin- 
board. There also appears a schedule, entitled 
‘ Timmy^s Day,' the divisions of which, indicating 
Timmy's various needs for each forty minute 
period, will serve to indicate to prospective work- 
ers the general character of the course. Candidates 
will not be expected to devote more than one period 
per day to the new elective.” 

When the crowd that buffeted about the bulletin- 
board at the close of the morning chapel had signed 
the designated paper and departed to other duties, 
it was found that, with four exceptions, every Fair 
Oaks girl had elected the new course in baby- 
tending. 


212 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


Timmy’ll have to split his periods, as popular 
girls do their dances,'' said little Christina, thought- 
fully comparing the long list of names with the 
brief schedule of Timmy's Day." 

I wonder if Miss Marshall thought so many 
would elect the course," said Margaret Lewis. 

I guess she'll realize now, if she hasn't before, 
that Timmy belongs here," said earnest Mildred 
Wallace. The only thing this school needed to 
make it just about perfect was a dear little baby 
like Timmy." 

So say 1 1 " declared Jane Learned heartily. 

Christina darling, allow me to congratulate you 
on choosing Fair Oaks School for the great and only 
Twins to come to. It's a jolly old school. Miss 
Marshall's bungalow is a little bit of all right, 
and Nancy's baby goes it one better. Hurrah for 
Nancy and Timmy I And now Christina darling, 
let us turn our attention to the war in the Balkans. 
We've got to shine in Current Topics, you know, — 
for Timmy." 

In the middle of luncheon that noon. Miss Mar- 
shall smilingly rose in her place and invited all 
her girls to ^‘a naming party in honor of Timmy," 
to take place under the Crooked Elm at four 
o'clock. 

What on earth was a ‘^naming party"? Jane 
Learned, exchanging knowing glances with Nancy 
213 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


and Mary Smith, refused even to guess. As a 
matter of fact she had no theories on the subject, 
beyond the perfectly safe one that at the party the 
secret of Timmy’s new name would be publicly 
divulged. 

It took stern and constantly renewed resolutions 
on the part of the Fair Oaks girls to devote the 
early hours of that afternoon to hard, honest study 
of next day’s lessons. But Fair Oaks, fearing to 
risk the loss of its baby, struggled nobly to achieve 
concentration, and partially succeeded. 

Just before four o’clock Miss Marshall, in her 
prettiest white dress, and Timmy, in an entirely 
new costume, also white and so becoming that 
even the fastidious Christina deigned to approve 
it, walked hand in hand across the campus, and 
established themselves comfortably on a rustic 
seat under the Crooked Elm. Mary Ann followed 
with a rug, so that Timmy might play on the grass 
when he tired of the narrow confines of the rustic 
bench. Cook waddled behind Mary Ann with a 
huge bowl of lemonade, which she placed on a 
little table at Miss Marshall’s elbow. And the 
eager girls and their hardly less eager instructors 
hurried after Cook, the instant that the release bell 
permitted them to do so. 

I’m so glad you’re all here,” Miss Marshall, 
her arm around Timmy, greeted- them. Then she 
214 









PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


repeated Jane’s argument in favor of Timmy’s hav- 
ing a regular temporary name.” 

I agree that he should have one,” Miss Marshall 
concluded. “ Don’t you ? ” 

A vociferously chorused affirmative answered 
her. 

And so I at once asked Nancy Lee to finish 
his name for him,” Miss Marshall went on, be- 
cause I thought it should be her privilege.” 
Another vociferous affirmative. 

“ Well, I did it,” explained Nancy smilingly. 
“ I did it right away. I named him Timmy — 
Timothy Marshall.” 

Which I now amend to Timothy Lee Mar- 
shall,” added Miss Marshall promptly. Don’t 
you like that better? I’m very proud to have 
Timmy take my name, and I think Nancy will 
feel the same way about his using hers. Now, as 
I’m sure you’re all tired, let’s drink to the health 
and happiness of Timmy Lee Marshall in Cook’s 
very best lemonade.” 

U-um ! ” cried Timmy, trying hard to tumble 
head-first into the lemonade-bowl. 

Miss Marshall,” began Christina Learned, when 
the toast to Timmy Lee Marshall had been duly 
drunk, don’t you think we ought to choose a 
color for Timmy? Babies that have regular 
mothers always have colors — generally pink or 
215 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


blue/’ went on Christina, in explanation. ‘‘ Then 
if you want to give them things, — I mean useful 
things,” added Christina hastily, remembering 
Kittie’s sad experience with the locket, — like a 
carriage afghan that my mother has promised 
to knit, why, you always know what color to 
choose.” 

'' Which color do you suggest, Christina ? ” asked 
Miss Marshall, quite seriously. 

Christina favored pink. 

Kittie Westervelt thought blue more appropriate 
for a boy. 

The vote, taken by counting hands, showed a 
majority of ten for blue, and Christina absented 
herself from the festivities long enough to send 
her mother the needed information on a post-card. 

In the midst of the naming party the nurse from 
Boston arrived — a tall, pretty woman, who in- 
stantly won everybody’s heart by calling Timmy 
a fine boy. But upon being asked by Miss Marshall 
to make a few remarks. Nurse Boyne spoke of the 
sensible modern custom of keeping young children 
quiet, free from excitement, and out of crowds. 
Whereat Timmy howled lustily by way of showing 
the evil effects of exciting and noisy assemblies 
upon his nervous system, and the naming party 
melted away shamefacedly, muttering vague fears 
that Nurse Boyne would “ spoil all the fun.” 

216 


PUPPIES AND NAMING PARTIES 


‘‘ No, she won't,’' declared Jane Learned loyally. 
Not if Dr. Jim likes her." 

“ Dr. Jim likes fun as well as we do,” averred 
Plain Mary. 

And besides we all must be nice to Miss Boyne 
and do as she says," added Nancy Lee, because 
it's best — for Timmy.” 


217 


CHAPTER XIV 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMY 

The Princess had heard a great deal about 
Timmy from Dr. Jim, but, as long as Nancy was 
kept in bounds, she had tactfully refrained from 
asking the Real Girls to bring him to see her ; and 
she still shrank, with an odd little remnant of her 
old nervous terror, from coming over to Fair Oaks, 
where Real Girls swarmed — delightful creatures, 
no doubt, like all girls, but unknown to her and 
therefore in some mysterious fashion terrible, ex- 
cept at a safe distance. 

Dr. Jim had discovered the fascination that the 
distant view of the campus had for her, and the 
dread inspired by a suggestion that she should 
visit it. 

‘‘ Some day 1^11 bring her over to return all your 
calls,” he had told Nancy once. '' 0^ else I’ll 
persuade her to invite all the girls to come to her. 
Then the strange terrors will vanish, and she’ll be 
perfectly well again. I shan’t have to wait much 
longer, either, thanks to the good help I’ve had 
from you and her other Fair Oaks friends.” 

Somehow the Princess had discovered the very 
218 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 

day on which Nancy was once more free to come 
to her ; and that afternoon she sent John across 
the gardens with a note. She wanted to consult 
all her Real Girls, she wrote, about something 
nice and rather important.’^ And she wanted, — 
oh, most dreadfully, — to see Timmy. “ Dr. Jim 
says he’s a dear little fellow,” she explained, “ so 
couldn’t you bring him over to-day ? If he’s rest- 
less, one of my maids can wheel him about the 
grounds while we talk.” 

Plain that she doesn’t know Timmy,” sniffed 
Mary Smith, when Nancy read that part of the 
note aloud. “ We’ll take along a piece of wrap- 
ping paper and one block, and he’ll amuse himself 
all the time we’re there, like an angel.” 

“ That’s because he’s a normal child,” explained 
Nancy wisely. Dr. Jim’s nurse said that all well 
children are quiet and good. Perhaps the Princess 
doesn’t know about normal children.” 

Lloyd Mallory sighed. “ It would be such fun 
to spoil him by playing with him all the time, as 
we did at first. But of course we mustn’t, now 
that we know better.” 

We must just see that he’s all right and no pins 
pricking him,” contributed little Sarah, who was 
proudly wheeling Timmy in his new perambulator. 

Lloyd had received curt permission from home 
to ‘‘ spend her money as she liked, and additional 
219 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


cheque enclosed ” ; and a beautiful new perambu- 
lator and a high chair for Timmy were the visible 
results. 

Unlike most angel-children when taken out to 
make a call, Timmy justified the highest hopes of 
his friends. He smiled joyously when the Princess 
kissed him. He gurgled more joyously when little 
Sarah helped him to pat Prince Charming’s soft 
fur. He noisily begged Na ” — his latest name 
for Nancy — to take off his bonnet. Then he 
dropped down on a rug that the Princess had 
ordered spread for him on the piazza floor, and 
wrapped and unwrapped the one wooden block 
with a sweet patience and a dogged persistency 
that argued great things for his future. 

Meanwhile the girls plied Mrs. Barton with 
tales of his brightness, his tractability, and his 
dear, cunning ways, until Plain Mary suddenly 
remembered that they couldn’t stay much longer, 
and that the Princess had sent for them to talk 
about a mysterious something vaguely but entic- 
ingly described as nice and rather important.” 

Oh, yes I ” said the Princess, when Mary 
reminded her. ‘‘ It’s the fairy party. You 
know I almost promised — or at least little Sarah 
wanted ” 

“ Oh, but Sarah didn’t mean to ask you to have 
a party,” apologized Nancy hastily. And be- 
220 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 


sides, you did have one for us, — a perfectly lovely 
one too, — to celebrate Prince Charming's birthday. 
You mustn’t try to have another.” 

But I want to ! ” cried the little Princess, 
exactly like a disappointed child, when somebody 
has unexpectedly threatened to deprive her of a 
promised treat. Oh, indeed I want to I Don’t 
you want to come ? ” 

Of course we do,” chorused the Real Girls. 

Is it going to be for just us? ” demanded little 
Sarah. ‘‘ ’Cause I did wish most awfully that some 
other girls could have seen how cunning Prince 
Charming looked, sitting in his cake-box. And 
maybe fairies would look even cunninger.” 

“ I hope you’ll like my fairies, Sarah,” laughed 
the Princess. And this time I thought — Dr. Jim 
wants — oh, I’m almost afraid to tell you, but Dr. 
Jim says I’m to ask every single girl in Fair Oaks 
School. And of course I want to please him,” 
ended the Princess, with a half-wistful, altogether- 
happy smile. 

“ Oh, how perfectly splendid ! ” cried little 
Sarah, dancing over to hug the Princess, and 
then stooping to hug Timmy, because he was 
smiling up at her so ingratiatingly. And is 
Timmy to come too?” 

Sarah ! ” reproved Nancy. Of course he’s 
much too little to come.” 

221 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


It would overexcite him,” explained Lloyd 
learnedly, “just as his naming party did.” 

“ Why, he doesn't even know about fairies yet,” 
added Plain Mary practically. “ He wouldn't 
understand a single thing he saw.” 

“ Oh, no, so he wouldn't ! ” Sarah was satisfied 
at last. “ He doesn't even know you're a Princess, 
and that he ” — she pointed to Prince Charming, 
who was watching that curious little person called 
Timmy from a safe distance — “ is a Prince. Of 
course Timmy couldn't come. 'Sense me for in- 
terrupting, Mrs. Barton. Were you going to tell 
us more about the fairies that will be at the 
party ? ” 

“ No,” smiled the Princess, “ I wasn't. I was 
going to keep them all for a grand surprise. 
Only,” — turning to the older girls, — “ when you 
deliver my invitation will you explain that I'm 
not stupidly asking young ladies to a children's 
party ? I mean, it's to be a fairy party for chil- 
dren of all ages, including grown-ups, because I 
want the teachers to come and watch. Miss Law- 

son ” the Princess hesitated and her sensitive 

lips quivered. “ She was a friend of my own little 
girl, you know. I haven't forgotten that she's a 
full-fledged young lady by this time. I hope she 
will want to come.” 

“ She will be delighted to know that you've 
222 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 


specially asked her/' said Nancy gently. Will 
Dr. Jim be here for the party ? " 

“Oh, yes," answered the little Princess, all 
smiles again. “ He's to be one of — one of the 
principal attractions. Oh, I almost forgot to tell 
you the date of the party. If Miss Marshall is 
willing, it's to be next Friday. Friday is rather 
the best day for Dr. Jim." 

There was no girl at Fair Oaks too grown-up or 
too sophisticated to be excited about Mrs. Barton's 
party. Vera's beautiful eyes filled with tears when 
Nancy repeated the Princess's message ; for even 
Vera had a heart, if one could but penetrate to it 
through the crust of thoughtless selfishness that 
covered her better feelings ; and she had been 
genuinely fond of little Alice Barton. 

“ Vera Lawson says that she's quite crazy about 
the fairy party." Thus the word went forth, and 
the lackadaisical Fashion Plates and the senti- 
mental Vera-ites obeyed its implied command and 
grew enthusiastic over Mrs. Barton's invitation. 
As for Nancy, the Learned twins, Mary, Margaret, 
and Mildred, it was never necessary for them to 
cultivate enthusiasm. They were continually bub- 
bling over with it. 

The only possible drawback to the fairy party 
was the fact that it had nothing whatever to do 
with Timmy. And Timmy was so completely the 
223 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


center of interest and activity at Fair Oaks that 
the most delightful festivity, if it excluded him, 
had somehow not quite the perfect flavor. 

It was on the Tuesday before the party that 
Miss Marshall received her letter from the Mis- 
souri lawyer. It came in the flve o^clock mail, 
and at dinner that night she read it aloud, as 
“ something that, while it conveys absolutely no 
certain and definite information, is still of interest 
to us all, as the first return from our advertising, 
and as suggesting a possible clue to Timmy^s par- 
entage.’^ 

The lawyer wrote, he said, in a purely friendly 
spirit, to tell the lady who was advertising a baby 
so extensively in the state papers some facts which 
might or might not concern her, or rather the 
baby. 

Exactly ten months ago an unsuccessful at- 
tempt was made to kidnap the infant child of a 
wealthy citizen of Green Gap, a town twenty 
miles or so from this city. The kidnappers were 
evidently misinformed, and apparently they con- 
tinued for some time to believe that a child they 
had stolen somewhere was the son of this wealthy 
Mr. Sefton. For months Mr. Sefton kept receiv- 
ing letters from them, offering to return his little 
son, if he would pay the ransom demanded. 

I think it would be to your advantage to write 
224 


A NESr-EGG FOR TIMMT 


Mr. Sefton. It was a very curious case. An old 
servant was suspected of complicity with the kid- 
nappers and, I believe, dismissed, although, as I 
have said, no harm whatever came to the Sefton 
child. Finally, for reasons never made public, 
the whole matter was suddenly hushed up. Hav- 
ing had no connection with the case save that of 
interested observer, I am writing to suggest the 
possibility of a connection between the child in 
your possession and the Sefton mystery. 

‘‘ I should think it wasn’t definite,” murmured 
Jane Learned, when Miss Marshall had finished. 

It’s as negative and doubtful as a London fog. 
But it’s interesting. Would you please read it 
over once more. Miss Marshall ? ” 

After the second reading, Jane nodded with an 
air of satisfaction, and prepared to tabulate her 
conclusions for the benefit of her less astute ac- 
quaintance. “ First definite fact : Somebody tried 
to steal a rich baby named Sefton. Second defi- 
nite fact : they didn’t do it. Third fact (some- 
what hazy) : they did steal, or thought they stole, 
some baby. Fourth fact (very hazy indeed) : the 
baby they thought they stole ma}’’ be Timmy.” 

Then perhaps Timmy isn’t a rich baby,” said 
Margaret. If his parents were rich, like those 
Seftons, wouldn’t they have hired detectives to 
investigate? Then the detectives would have 
225 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


come upon the Sefton case, and run down this 
very clue that has been sent to Miss Marshall.’^ 

“ I never thought that Timmy was an awfully 
rich baby,^’ said Mildred Wallace. He's too — 
too sweet. Oh, dear ! Some of you were rich 
babies, maybe. But you know what I mean. 
Timmy is — is " 

“ Perfectly normal," Nancy Lee took her up. 

He doesn’t act as if he’d been born with a silver 
spoon in his mouth, and then had it snatched 
away. But I suppose tramping with gypsies for 
ten months might have made him forget about the 
silver spoon, if he ever had it. That woman cer- 
tainly ‘ treated him right,’ even if she did think 
it was ‘ nuts to lug a heavy kid around.’ ’’ 

“ Suppose,’’ suggested Jane, that when Timmy 
Marshall’s parents turn up, they turn up poor. 
They may, you know. We ought to hang on to 
Lloyd’s money, in case a time ever comes when he 
needs things worse than he needed a ‘ pram ’ and a 
high chair.’’ 

He can take those things home with him,’’ 
said Lloyd hastily. And I think father will 
give me more money if Timmy ever needs it.’’ 

But we don’t want you to do everything for 
Timmy,’’ objected Margaret. “ We all want a 
hand in looking out for him. Suppose his parents 
should ‘ turn up poor,’ as Jane says, this summer, 
226 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 


when we’re all separated, and some of us have left 
Fair Oaks School forever.” 

“ Possibility number one,” tabulated Jane : 

Parents turn up poor. Possibility number two : 
they never turn up. That’s two chances, out of a 
possible three, that we ought to be getting together 
a nest-egg for Timmy’s future. Let’s do it ! ” 

Let’s I But how ? ” 

“ All subscribe.” 

‘^That won’t be much of a nest-egg. Most of 
us can’t hand around tremendous sums like Lloyd 
Mallory.” 

Much as we’d like to ! ” 

Perhaps we could add to the subscription by 
giving some sort of entertainment. All the vil- 
lage would come.” 

But the rest of the spring term is so busy I ” 

Frightfully busy ! There’s exams ” 

And Float Day ” 

And the seniors’ doings.” 

And the fairy party.” 

Well, if Miss Marshall is willing, let’s take up 
the subscription anyhow,” suggested Margaret. 

Then we can be sure of a little nest-egg, at least. 

And if anybody ” 

Has a regular inspiration about a grand money- 
making show,” cut in Jane, why, maybe we can 
tuck it in between times somewhere.” 

227 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


No inspiration had been announced, when, the 
next afternoon, Nancy Lee went by request to 
advise with the Princess about her approaching 
entertainment. 

She was shown up-stairs to a sewing-room, where 
she found the Princess and three seamstresses fairly 
swimming in a sea of daintily tinted tarlatan, — 
rose-pink, daffodil-yellow, lily-white, and pale 
violet, — that lay piled in shimmering waves of 
color over chairs, tables, and sewing-machines. 

“ Isn^t this pretty ? The Princess held up a 
yellow wave for Nancy^s inspection. I’m so glad 
you happen to have on a white dress, Nancy, 
because now you can slip on some of the flower- 
fairy costumes, and we can tell much better how 
to go on with them. I hated to let you into part 
of the mysteries, Nancy dear ; but I found I must 
ask some one for a list of the girls’ names, grouped 
by sizes, or rather by heights. Fairy robes haven’t 
much fit except length, you see. 

I’m planning it this way, Nancy. When the 
girls come, — all in very plain white things, please 
tell them, — they are to go up-stairs at once to put 
on their costumes. There will be four rooms, one 
for the very little girls, one for the tallest, and 
two for the betweens. A maid will stand down- 
stairs with the lists of names for each room, and 
the costumers” — she waved at the busv seam- 
228 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 


tresses — “ have promised to stay and help dress 
the fairies. Oh, you’re a beautiful daffodil, 
Nancy I ” She slipped a yellow cap over Nancy’s 
golden hair, and held out a pair of yellow shoes 
for her to see. I must tell them to be sure that 
you’re a daffodil. Or should you prefer to be a 
rose ? Or a violet ? Or a tall white lily ? Try 
them all ! Isn’t it fun making up flower-fairies, 
Nancy? Girls and flowers — the two loveliest 
things in the world — will make such a wonderful, 
wonderful party I ” 

Nancy tried being a rose, a lily,' and a violet, 
and decided she preferred being a daffodil. She 
exclaimed over the wonderful ingenuity and beauty 
of all the costumes, and at the amount of trouble 
Mrs. Barton was taking. 

And you say this is only a part of the sur- 
prise,” she added. It’s almost too bad that only 
you and the teachers will be there to see what 
pretty fairies we make, — and Dr. Jim.” 

Mrs. Barton nodded laughingly. “ I’d thought 
of that. I believe I shall ask Mrs. Grant to come 
and look on. She loves girls almost as well as I 
do. How is the small boy — Timmy, do you call 
him? ” 

‘‘ Quite well, thank you, and we’ve had a clue 
about where he belongs, — or perhaps it’s a clue.” 
And Nancy retailed the contents of the Missouri 
229 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

lawyer^s letter, with its suggestion that Timmy 
was not necessarily a child of rich parents, as his 
kidnappers had believed. She also explained the 
girls^ plan, approved by Miss Marshall, to take up 
a subscription for their baby. 

It^s pretty small so far,’^ lamented Nancy. 

The girls are always poor at the end of a term, 
you see, and most of our fathers can’t send us extra 
cheques in the lovely, absent-minded way that 
Lloyd’s father does. He sent her another one to- 
day, because he couldn’t be sure whether he sent 
one the last time he wrote to her. And it was for 
fifty dollars I But we’re not going to let her give 
it all. We don’t want any one person to do a lot 
more for Timmy than any one else can — at least 
not until we’ve tried to plan something that we 
can all help about.” And Nancy explained how 
Fair Oaks was waiting impatiently for some one 
— probably it would be Jane Learned — to have an 
inspiration about an easily-arranged entertain- 
ment. 

Mrs. Barton listened with deep interest. “ You 
must let me subscribe some money,” she said, for 
that cunning child. And if you wanted to use my 
grounds for your entertainment — but the school 
campus is just as pretty. I agree with you that it 
does take a great deal of time to plan things so 
that they’ll go off smoothly. We’ve had such fun 
230 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 


planning this party — Dr. Jim and I. I should 
never have had it if he hadn^t kept thinking of 
such fascinating things to do. Yes, it takes time 
to plan, and more time to do the necessary work. 
If only Nancy I 

Yes,'^ said Nancy eagerly. It was quite evi- 
dent that the Princess had had what Jane was most 
wont to describe as an inspiration. 

Nancy, would the girls like to have their fairy 
party turned into an entertainment for Timmy ? 
Because it would be quite simple. I should only 
need to ask a hundred or so friends, like the 
Grants, to come and look on at the flower frolic — 

and to visit the lair of the Dr. Oh, I mustnT 

tell you all the secrets, or your fun will be spoiled I 
And I specially want you to like my party — you 
and Sarah and Lloyd, who are my dearest girls. 

“ Oh, Mrs. Barton, could we really have it that 
way ? demanded Nancy eagerly. Could we 
really have the party and the entertainment both — 
together? And do you know a hundred people 
whom you could ask to come and watch ? 

The Princess considered. I used to know a 
great many rich and generous people,^^ she said 
gravely, “ and just lately Pve been going about a 
little again. Oh, yes, I’m sure I can ask at least a 
hundred who will love to come — and love to help 
Timmy, when we’ve told them about him. The only 
231 


NANCr LEKS SPRING TERM 


extra trouble will be writing the notes, and I can 
easily arrange for that to be done. And you’ll send 
me the lists of assorted heights to-morrow ? The 
littlest ones are to be crocuses and snowdrops. 
See ? ’’ The Princess held up a golden-yellow, 
sheath-shaped dress, with a little tight yellow 
cap to match. That’s for Sarah. And you’ll 
write me what they all think about turning the 
party into an entertainment, — especially Miss Mar- 
shall’s opinion.” 

‘‘ Yes,” promised Nancy. But I just know 
they’ll all want it that way.” And she rushed off 
to tell the rest that the fairy party had now 
achieved perfection, since it was to be a benefit for 
Timmy. 

Three days later, just as dusk was settling over 
the gardens of the Enchanted Castle, which gleamed 
with light at every window, a great company of 
giant moths, wonderfully colored, — or were they 
gay tropical birds ? — flitted out of the Castle and 
down the hill to a secluded part of the Castle 
grounds, where the tall hedgerows and quaintly 
clipped yews shut in a square of velvety green 
lawn. There, directed by a slender yellow moth, 
the shapes settled down, singly or in groups, ac- 
cording to some preconceived plan ; and when they 
were still, it was plain that they were neither gay 
moths nor tropical birds, but Flowers — spring 
232 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 


Flowers, bigger and more beautiful than any in 
the Princess’s spring garden on the south slope of 
the hill. 

The Flowers were no sooner arranged in their 
beds, than a crowd of people headed by the Prin- 
cess, — looking very young and pretty in a filmy 
white gown, instead of the somber black she al- 
ways wore, — trooped out of the Castle, and came 
down to view the new garden that had blossomed 
magically between the hedges. As the Princess 
approached each bed, the Flowers nodded and 
bowed, and the Lilies rang silvery bells. 

Then, as it grew darker, little starry lights 
twinkled out in the trees, and a round yellow moon 
flashed forth in the hedge. 

At the same time soft music, hidden somewhere 
up on the hill, woke the Flower-Fairies into life. 
They nodded and bowed, this time to one another ; 
and then, as the hidden music swept into a rip- 
pling waltz-tune, they began to dance. Pink Roses 
darted to the lily-bed for partners ; tall Daffodils 
chose little Crocuses ; and in the light of the tiny, 
twinkling stars and the funny round moon they 
danced and danced, while the audience, sitting in 
a semicircle at the foot of the hill, applauded, and 
cried out delightedly for more. 

Finally the waltz strain wavered and died away, 
and the dancers stopped and stood expectant, know- 
233 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


ing only that this was a signal for one of the 
Princess’s promised surprises.” Then, out of a 
big brown tree-trunk, — that looked real enough in 
the mock moonlight, but was only pasteboard and 
opened like a door, — glided a figure in a shimmer- 
ing brown-green dress. A Dryad, of course, she 
was, coming out of her tree to sport with the Flower- 
Fairies. The music changed again, and the lovely 
Wood-nymph, standing among the Flowers, sang — 
first a dainty song of fairy-land, then a rollicking 
woodland ditty, then, as she glided slowly back 
toward her tree, a child’s lullaby. The Flower- 
Fairies exclaimed at the loveliness of this surprise, 
and at the glorious beauty of the Dryad’s music ; 
while the audience exchanged amazed whispers 
and thrilled glances, for some of them recognized 
the Wood-nymph as one of the greatest sopranos 
of her day. 

‘^Just like Marion Barton I ” Mrs. Grant whis- 
pered to her husband. “ Spending a small fortune 
just to amuse some girls I ” 

When they were sure that the Dryad had gone 
into her tree to stay, the Flower-Fairies, summoned 
by the guiding Daffodil, whose hair was almost as 
yellow as her cap, glided off to the very end of the 
hedged enclosure. The moon went too — con- 
venient moon ! — and established herself in the 
crotch of an elm tree, where she could shine right 

234 


A NESr-EGG FOR TIMMT 

down on a queer brown canvas cave, with '' Drag- 
on^s Lair ” written above it, in scrawly, curly 
brown letters, — “exactly like dragons' tails," a 
tall spindly Lily announced audibly. The audi- 
ence flocked after the Flowers and arrived in time 
to see the Dragon, shiny and scaly, with fire in his 
eyes and smoke coming out of his mouth, mixed 
with horrible roars, appear in the door of his cave. 

Some of the small Crocuses ran back, shrieking ; 
but the taller Flowers went close to the cave-mouth, 
and daringly obeyed the Dragon’s growled instruc- 
tions to put their hands into his claws and receive 
souvenirs, mystically called “sparks from the 
Dragon-fire." These they were to light at the 
candles that burned by the cave’s mouth ; and 
soon Dragon and Fairies were standing in a rain 
of bright, harmless sparks that sputtered out 
mysteriously from the little black sticks that the 
Dragon had bestowed upon all the “ good fairies." 
By this time the little Crocuses had received 
whispered reassurances from a friendly yellow 
Daffodil, to the effect that the Dragon was only 
Dr. Jim — Mary’s Dr. Jim — dressed up in funny 
clothes, and had stopped wishing to run away. 
And when the Dragon burst out of his cave and 
ran, roaring and smoking, among the Flowers, little 
Crocuses and Snowdrops danced jeeringly around 
him with the rest, and, when he broke away and 

235 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

ran up the hill, they joined with the taller Fairies 
in hot pursuit. 

Oh, wasn’t it all fun I ” said Nancy Daffodil to 
Lily Jane, as they sat, an hour later, eating most 
delicious ices on the Castle piazza. 

They had met the Bad Fairy and made her 
promise to be Good. A Gnome had sprung out of 
the hillside, and he and the Dryad had sung a 
marvelous duet, which, the material Mrs. Grant 
estimated, had added another small fortune to 
Marion’s atrocious expenditures.” Finally they 
had all come up to the Castle for supper and after 
that there was to be dancing in the Castle ballroom, 
whose polished floor, strange to say, the Flower- 
Fairies preferred to even the most velvety green- 
sward for their sprightly gambols. 

“ Well, here you are at last ! ” said a deep voice 
above Nancy’s nodding cap, and she looked up to 
see Dr. Jim, in immaculate evening dress, smiling 
down at his two friends. It’s very difficult,” he 
explained, to pick out anybody you know at a 
fairy masquerade.” 

^‘Where’s the Dragon?” asked Nancy, moving 
to make room for the doctor. 

“ Dead,” said Dr. Jim solemnly. “ Poor fellow, 
his exertions were too much for him I With one 
last gasp he shed his iridescent covering, — that 
weighs a ton and would furnish ample protection 
236 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 


against an Arctic winter — and he is now no 
more. I mourn him, but I cannot blame him, can 
you ? ” 

Conversation is better than roars any day,’^ 
announced Jane decisively. ‘‘I kept thinking of 
all the jokes you must be wanting to make, only 
Dragons aren’t supposed to talk English.” 

Well, now you can tell us about the puppy,” 
interposed Nancy eagerly. Or haven’t you got 
him yet ? ” 

Dr. Jim smiled grimly. I bought him day 
before yesterday. Miss Nancy, and up to date I 
should characterize him chiefly as expensive, both 
to buy and to maintain. He’s a thoroughbred Eng- 
lish bull. When buying a puppy, it would seem 
to be economy to get the best ; and I did so, or tried 
to. I took him home while I got my bag and met 
my boy, and in half an hour he’d chewed up a new 
pair of driving-gloves, and one patent-leather 
pump, and pretty well flnished a Persian rug. 
On the train he playfully bit a baggageman, whose 
injured feelings came very high. On the drive 
out to the farm, he killed a chicken, claimed by 
its owner to be as thoroughbred as the pup. Then 
I formally presented him to Rob, and I must 
admit. Miss Nancy, that the price of that dog, 
everything included, was very little to pay for the 
way the boy’s eyes shone. May I ask. Miss 

237 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Daffodil, how you guessed that he’d always wanted 
a puppy of his own and never had one ? ” 

Nancy flushed at the swiftly aimed question. 

I didn’t guess, Dr. Jim. I only thought — at least 
my brother Dick seems to think that any boy 
loves a nice dog. What’s Rob’s dog’s name. Dr. 
Jim?” 

‘‘ Commander. I tried to have the boy come up 
here with me for the party, but he wouldn’t leave 
Commander.” Dr. Jim chuckled. I fancy it’s as 
well he didn’t. The other farm animals are old 
and staid, and my staid old caretaker wouldn’t 
have appreciated the privilege of looking after 
Commander.” 

Jane was just going to ask if Rob’s last name 
had yet been discovered, when Mrs. Barton came 
for Nancy. 

‘‘ Now is the time to tell them about Timmy,” 
she explained, “ while they’re all sitting quietly in 
the ballroom, over their coffee. And Miss Marshall 
thinks you are the one to speak.” 

I ! ” demurred Nancy. Oh, I couldn’t I I 
shouldn’t know how I Miss Marshall — or Dr. Jim 
— or you ” 

But you found him,” protested the Princess. 

“ And you love him a little better than any one 
else of us,” added Jane. 

And you certainly have pluck enough to tell a 
238 


A NEST-EGG FOR TIMMT 

few friends the simple tale of your and Timmy^s 
adventures,” Dr. Jim assured her, with his com- 
pelling smile. “ Come on, Miss Nancy Daffodil ! 
Come on. Miss Jane I We’ll stand by you.” 

Well, if Miss Marshall said I was to, I suppose 
I must,” said Nancy despairingly, rising and 
smoothing down her fluffy dress. 

There had been no fixed admission price to the 
Fairy entertainment ; but the audience, who had 
been duly warned what to expect, listened to 
Nancy’s halting, earnest little speech, that struck 
home because of its spontaneous fervor, lightened 
by its spontaneous fun, and decided that the even- 
ing had been worth to them, collectively, six 
hundred and fifty-nine dollars and eight cents — 
for Timmy.” Nancy had briefly explained the 
uncertainty that existed about Timmy’s circum- 
stances in life, adding that, if he proved not to need 
financial aid, all donations made for him would be 
used to help some other needy baby ; the nicest we 
can find, though of course he won’t come up to 
Timmy.” 

The audience applauded this suggestion, which 
had been broached to them in the Princess’s notes 
of invitation ; and one friendly gentleman started 
a cheer for the finest baby,” under cover of which 
Nancy, blushing furiously, sat down. 

I hope they gave as much as they would if 

239 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


Dr. Jim or Miss Marshall had asked them/’ Nancy 
wrote in the Red Journal that night. And I 
hope I shall never have to work any harder to do 
what I’ve set out to than I worked to make my 
feet carry me up to that platform, after Dr. Jim 
had got them quiet and told them that I would 
speak to them. Frightened feet are the silliest 
things ! They stick and drag and stumble. But 
perhaps, if the frightened feeling bothers your feet 
a lot, it doesn’t bother your head so much. I re- 
membered to say most of what I think counted, 
and anyhow six hundred and fifty-nine dollars and 
eight cents is a lot of money. If Timmy never 
needs it, there are plenty of babies that do. 

I’m awfully tired. I wish I could see Com- 
mander. Rob must be a nice boy. I ” 

Here the pencil fell out of Nancy’s sleepy fingers. 


240 


CHAPTER XV 

FOR friendship’s SAKE 

Jane Learned sat on the edge of the boat-house 
wharf, eliciting alarmed shrieks from Christina by 
the careless fashion in which she dangled her best 
new pumps over the water, and conversing amiably 
with Nancy Lee and Grace Allen. Nancy was wait- 
ing for the Blues to finish with their boat, which 
would then be available for the Red Sub team’s use ; 
and Grace had a tennis engagement with Plain 
Mary, who had been delayed for a moment by a con- 
ference with Miss Dutton on the subject of chaperon- 
age for an impending visit of the Ogre. All four 
of the W. W.’s, being dressed for a more or less 
athletic afternoon, wore their featured ’’jumpers. 

I’ve been thinking about the W. W.’s,” said 
Jane, idly dipping a pump-toe in water, by way of 
demonstrating to Christina that the shoe would 
not fall off easily. '' I think we ought to be up 
and doing — or make people think we are, anyway. 
And for up-and-doing-ness the Woodland Wander- 
ers is too — oh, too poetical and lackadaisical a name.” 

I think it’s pretty,” objected Nancy, from her 
perch on the wharf railing. 

241 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ Sure it^s pretty/’ assented Jane. That’s why 
we took it. But the well-known trouble with 
prettiness is that it’s only skin-deep, and soon palls. 
So, having experienced prettiness and learned its 
limitations, and been very nearly guessed by that 
literary and poetical Carlene Marbury, let’s exercise 
the feminine privilege of changing our minds — and 
our name.” 

‘‘ To what, Jane ? ” inquired conservative Grace 
Allen. 

Don’t ask her, Grace,” said Christina, who was 
unwontedly irritated by Jane’s lack of consideration 
for her new shoes. She doesn’t know to what. 
She talks first, and then she thinks. Yes, you do, 
Jane ! ” 

« Um — maybe,” said Jane, rescuing her afmost- 
escaped slipper with a jerk, and curling her feet 
under her by way of propitiating Christina, whose 
mood appeared to be really hostile. But that’s 
not so bad as never thinking, like most people,” 
went on Jane calmly. What I really do, Chris- 
tina, is to think and talk simultaneously. When 
my thoughts get behind in the race, I invent pleas- 
ant digressions, to enable them to catch up. Dur- 
ing the one I’ve just made, I’ve thought of a nice 
new meaning for W. W. — pretty but not too pretty. 
We’ll be the Wonder Workers.” 

''That is rather pretty,” agreed Nancy critic- 
242 


FOR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 

ally, while Christina, mollified by Janets posture, 
beamed delightedly at her clever twin. 

Yes, but what does it really mean ? demanded 
Grace Allen. 

Jane regarded the unsympathetic and unimagi- 
native Grace through half-closed, quizzical eyes. 

Anything — or nothing,'' she said calmly. It 
means one thing to me, and another, I presume, 
to you. For instance: to both Nancy and me, it 
might suggest slenderness and ogres ; and to Nancy 
alone, speeches that you hate to make, to get 
money for Timmy ; and to the gentle Christina it 
might suggest successful tussles with binomial 
theorem. In other words, we all work some sort 
of wonders — or we ought to, if we amount to any- 
thing — and the point of the newly named W. W.^s 
is that we shall work some good ones together. 
Grace is hereby nominated to plan the first of the 
grand series. Good-bye, everybody! I'm off on 
a hike with Miss MacPherson." 

“ Not in those shoes, Jane I " shrieked Christina, 
after the striding figure. 

Grace, having declared, as she had innumerable 
times before, that she couldn't understand Jane's 
explanations, — they were far worse than none at 
all, — went off to her tennis ; and Christina and 
Nancy continued to watch the Blues' boat. 

We must remember to tell Margaret and Sarah 

243 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


and Jeanne about the new name/’ said Christina. 
“ It will be splendid exercise for my French, try- 
ing to translate Jane’s explanation about Wonder 
Workers. By the way, Nancy, do you know 
what’s the trouble between Jeanne and Vera Law- 
son ? Vera told Kittie that they weren’t chums 
any longer, and Jeanne stares at Vera all through 
meals with an awfully hurt look on her face.” 

“ No, I don’t know,” said Nancy. That is, I 
hadn’t even noticed that they weren’t as good 
friends as ever. Between Timmy, and the Sub 
Crew, and lessons, I’m too busy to notice anything. 

But if they have quarreled, I think I know ” 

Nancy broke off suddenly to ask a question. 

Christina, did you ever hear any of the girls 
speak of Jeanne’s home or family or anything ? ” 
Christina shook her head. “ No, never. Oh, 
yes, Kittie Westervelt did grumble once that Vera 
Lawson knew all about it and wouldn’t tell her, 
and that Jeanne never would talk of her life in 
France to any one but Vera. Didn’t Jeanne ever 
tell you about it ? ” 

Ye-es,” began Nancy doubtfully. She had 
never mentioned Jeanne’s account of her joke on 
Vera, nor had she spoken of the facts behind it ; 
partly because she had hardly thought of the mat- 
ter again, and partly because she wanted to leave 
Jeanne free to make her own explanation to Vera 
244 


FOR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 


in her own good time. And now, when Vera had 
probably received the explanation with resentment 
and broken off with Jeanne in consequence, Nancy 
did not wish to be the one to make the cause of the 
trouble public. So she was not sorry that, just as 
she had begun to answer Christina’s question, 
somebody should come quickly down the steps to 
the wharf. It was Vera Lawson herself, in a 
filmy white dress and a flapping, flower-trimmed 
hat. In one hand she carried a new novel, in the 
other a gaily striped parasol — Kittie Wester velt’s 
mother had brought it to her daughter from 
Naples and it had won Vera’s instant approval, 
unfortunately for poor Kittie. At sight of Chris- 
tina and Nancy, Vera turned away abruptly and 
walked to the other end of the little landing, 
where she stood in silence, with her back to the 
two girls. They exchanged glances, Christina’s 
tinged with dismay and Nancy’s with amusement. 

'' What’s the matter ? ” Nancy signaled in the 
convenient finger-alphabet, beloved of all school- 
girls. 

Christina shook her head dolefully. None of 
Vera’s misdeeds had ever quite uprooted Christina’s 
early adoration of the lovely, smiling, wonderfully 
clothed and beautifully mannered school idol ; 
and this cut direct hurt her, in spite of its ab- 
surdity. 


245 


NANCr LRE^S SPRING TERM 


Nancy shrugged and stood up. “ Going canoe- 
ing, Vera?’^ she asked. Shall I get out a boat 
for you ? 

No, thank you,'^ said Vera icily. I thought 
Mary Smith was down here. I prefer to wait for 
her.^' 

“ Why, I think she's playing tennis," said 
Christina. Didn't she go oS with Grace, 
Nancy?" 

Nancy nodded. “ She said she was canoeing 
to-morrow." 

Then I've evidently mixed my engagement 
book," said Vera, moving with lofty serenity 
toward the steps. 

Please let me take you out, Vera," begged 
Christina. I should love to. I'm just hanging 
around watching the crew-practice." 

Thank you," said Vera icily, but I don't care 
to go out to-day." And she swept up the steps 
with her most queenly air. 

Christina's lips quivered like a hurt child's. 

Don’t I " said Nancy comfortingly. Don't 
care so ! She's not worth minding. But I should 
certainly like to know what we've done to offend 
her." 

‘‘ It's probably Jane," said Christina wearil3\ 
“ She's always playing tricks, and Vera hates to 
have people joke her. Of course I don't exactly 
246 


FOR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 

blame Jane, after the way Vera acted that time 
last fall, but still I — I 

‘‘ You hate fusses,'' put in Nancy swiftly. 
do I. I also hate being snubbed for what I don't 
even know about. Even if Jane has done some- 
thing, that's no reason why Vera should snub you 
and me. Even twinny twins are two separate 
persons, and Vera ought to know it." 

But Jane, upon being sternly arraigned by 
Nancy, on her return from the afternoon's hike, 
disclaimed being at the bottom of Vera's strange 
behavior. 

“ Why, I've hardly seen her lately," averred 
Jane. “ So it couldn't have been one of my un- 
conscious * lapses,' as poor Christina calls 'em. 
No, for once I'm not guilty. We must inquire 
into this." 

Jane's inquiry, however, proved as futile as 
Nancy's arraignment of Jane. “ Something is the 
matter with Vera," all her friends said vaguely ; 
but nobody knew why that undefined some- 
thing," that made Vera distant and moody and 
unusually dictatorial, even for her, should cause 
her to be positively rude to Nancy and the Learned 
twins. Jane and Nancy scorned to ask Vera her- 
self what grudge she bore them ; and Christina 
was afraid to do it. She tried to get Kittie West- 
ervelt, who was now one of Vera's chief intimates, 
247 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


to find out for her ; but Kittie, after one attempt, 
tearfully refused to do anything more. It’s no 
use asking Vera anything nowadays,” she declared. 
“ She’s terribly nervous — over leaving school, I 
suppose, and going out into society, where she’ll 
see that man — the one she loves. When I asked 
her if she didn’t mean to put down a subscription 
for Timmy, she almost snapped my head off, and 

when I asked her about you ” Kittie gulped, 

winked hard, and gesticulated her inability to put 
Vera’s cruel treatment of her into words. 

As for poor Jeanne, she went about with con- 
sternation in her heart and fear in her wistful 
brown eyes. Learning “ ze ways Americaines ” 
was surely hard work. If many of her pupils 
were like Vera Lawson, teaching the American 
misses ” would be still harder. Why did one read 
and hear so much of American humor ? No 
French girl, Jeanne felt sure, would have failed 
so completely as Vera Lawson had to appreciate 
Jeanne’s stupid little joke. Jeanne had never 
laughed at Vera. She had shielded her from the 
laughter of the other girls by refusing to talk of 
her home life with any one else, excepting only 
her one trusted confidant, Nancy Lee. And Vera, 
— why Jeanne did not know, — had never repeated 
her own glowing inventions centering around 
the marvelous chateau in Brittany. But when, 
248 


FOR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 


sweetly, patiently, and humbly, Jeanne had con- 
fessed that there had been a joke, and that it 
had gone far enough, — perhaps too far, Vera had 
listened, asked a few cold, incisive questions, and 
told Jeanne in swift, angry words that the poor 
child could not half comprehend that she — Vera 
Lawson — wished never to speak to her again. 

Perhaps she deserved to be treated like that, 
Jeanne thought. Perhaps it was one of ze ways 
AmericainesP But Nancy Lee hadn^t seemed to 
feel so about the joke. Jeanne longed to talk 
again with Nancy, and resolved to confide in her 
at the first opportunity. But, as Nancy had told 
Christina, she flew so busily about between regular 
school-work, crew-practice, the elective in baby- 
tending, and the plans for Timmy^s future, that 
Jeanne, naturally timid and now quite subdued 
by Vera’s unkindness, could not break through the 
charmed circle of Nancy’s happy activity, bitterly 
though she longed to ; while Nancy, for her part, 
never guessed that the wistful look in Jeanne’s 
eyes was seeking an answer to its perplexed ques- 
tioning from her. 

When the release bell rang, on the night of 
Jane’s discussion of the W. W.’s destinies, Grace 
Allen dropped her books with a promptness that 
she might have copied from the volatile Nancy. 

249 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


“ Nancy/^ — she intercepted her roommate’s 
hasty progress toward the hall, — “ could you wait 
just a minute? I want to ask you about some- 
thing.” 

Of course.” Nancy dropped down comfortably 
on the broad window-seat. 

'' It’s about Lloyd Mallory,” Grace went on. 

I’ve noticed her a good deal lately, because ” — 
Grace flushed a little — “ she’s another one like me, 
who doesn’t make many friends ; and she hasn’t 
a jolly roommate, Nancy, like you, to bring her 
into the fun.” 

Nancy smiled reminiscently, remembering how, 
on their first evening at Fair Oaks, Kittie had 
tried to effect an exchange of roommates, whereby 
Grace and Lloyd were to be together. “ I’m afraid 
Kittie hasn’t looked out for Lloyd much,” she 
agreed aloud. ‘‘ And Lloyd certainly doesn’t know 
how to join in with the rest of us. She says she 
never learned how to play at all till she came here.” 

And now she’s going home again for a long, 
maybe a lonesome summer, without learning very 
much about it,” said Grace. So I thought if w^e 
could make her feel, just at the last, that we liked 
her — because I really think the girls do like and 
admire Lloyd in spite of her queerness — why, it 
would be something pleasant for her to remember 
during the summer, and if she comes back next 
250 


FOR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 


year it would give her a good start. There's 
everything in feeling that people like you," con- 
cluded poor Grace solemnly. 

** What a grand thought ! " cried enthusiastic 
Nancy. “ And I know the very thing to do to 
make Lloyd feel that way. Her birthday is next 
week — the second of June. She's never had a 
birthday party — not since she was a very small 
child, I mean. We — you can give her one." 
Nancy hesitated, remembering Grace's sensitive- 
ness. Did you want to do something all by 
yourself, Grace, or may some of the rest of us help 
a little ? " 

Of course you may. Indeed I wanted to ask 
you if you thought the others — specially you and 
the twins — would approve of the idea, and help to 
carry it out." 

Nancy's face lighted suddenly. How stupid I 
am ! This is the first scheme for the W. W.'s — 
the one Jane nominated you to think of. Of 
course it is ! Don't tell me again that you can’t 
see through Jane's queer notions, Grace, because 
this lovely plan proves that you can understand 
her splendidly. Making Lloyd Mallory feel that 
we like her is exactly the kind of ^ wonder-work- 
ing ' that Jane meant. Only I'm sure no one but 
you would have thought of so useful a wonder for 
us to work." 


251 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


In dazed silence Grace stared at her roommate. 
Oh I she said finally. “ I begin to see. By 
wonders Jane meant doing hard things that will 
benefit some one — like your making that speech 
for Timmy, and Christina’s learning algebra to 
keep up the standard of the school, so that Timmy 
can stay on here. She said something about ogres 
and slenderness, but I suppose that was just non- 
sense, like the Frabjous Tortoise that she’s always 
promising to show us. And now you mean that 
making Lloyd Mallory feel popular will be hard 
and will be a benefit to her ; therefore it’s suitable 
work for the W. W.’s.” 

“ Certainly,” agreed Nancy. And I also mean 
that you’ve been a lot quicker than I should have 
been in thinking up just the right thing. Come 
and tell the twins.” 

Yes,” said Grace, let’s go and find the twins. 
But let’s not tell them, please, that I never so 
much as thought of the W. W.’s till you mentioned 
them j ust now. I was thinking of — of— -friendship, 
Nancy,” she ended shyly. 

“ Oh I ” said Nancy, stricken dumb in her turn. 
Well, this time, Grace,” she added, after a pause, 
you’re certainly thinking straight.” 

And so it happened that Lloyd Mallory’s seven- 
teenth birthday was celebrated with the conven- 
tional cake, .candles, and presents, and with much 
252 


FOR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 

altogether unconventional hilarity and good cheer. 
It was a picnic party — Nancy insisted upon that, 
because Lloyd delighted so in picnics. June sec- 
ond fell on a Tuesday. Miss Marshall, who was 
elected an honorary W. W. and taken into the 
secret of the first Wonder, reluctantly decided that 
it would not do to break into the week with so ex- 
tended an excursion as one to Lloyd^s adored 
wood at “ Seldom Inn/^ But she suggested instead 
a sunset water-party, with a canoe trip to the other 
end of the lake and a picnic supper on Sunset Hill, 
where the woods were open enough to make a fire 
at once safe and possible. 

Lloyd was speechless with amazement when she 
discovered that it was, as little Sarah said, her 
very own party that the school was joining in 
so heartily. She was even more astonished when 
Nancy whispered to her that Grace had thought 
of it first. For a while she shrank from taking 
her proper place at the center of the stage ; but, as 
the girls kindly but firmly refused to let her slip 
into her accustomed obscurity, as one after another 
presented her with a comical gift, — when Mary 
Ann ostentatiously informed her that Cook had 
really injyed bakin’ a cake for her,” when Miss 
Dutton dragged her to the seat of honor at supper, 
and Jane Learned toasted her in witty speech, — 
Lloyd lost her awkward shyness, and expanded 
253 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

into the gracious, capable young woman of whom 
Fair Oaks had caught fleeting glimpses before. 
Crises, like the rescue of Kittie or the immediate 
necessity of making a garden, had brought Lloyd 
out before ; now appreciation and affection made 
her blossom even more charmingly, in a way that 
astonished no one so much as Lloyd herself. 

“ It hasn't been a wasted year after all," she told 
herself happily. I haven't been all on the out- 
side of things. Pete and the boys will be pretty 
well pleased when they hear about to-night. Oh, 
I'm glad I came here — glad all through ! I won- 
der when Ginger's birthday is, and Pete's. We'll 
have some splendid parties this summer up in 
Painted Gorge. I must think what kind of party 
Ginger would like best, and Pete. Pete doesn't 
know how to play any better than I do. But I'll 
show him I I’ve learned a little about playing so 
far, and next year I'm coming back to learn more. 
I want to live a big, splendid, full life, and that 
means knowing all sorts of things — how to play, 
and Ancient History, and Art, and Current 
Events, and how to walk across a room, and 
French " 

Lloyd's happy revery was broken in upon by the 
sight of Jeanne Durand's wistful face, as a wander- 
ing gleam of firelight threw it into pale relief 
against the darkness. Jeanne was sitting a little 
254 


j^OR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 


outside the merry circle, whose gay chatter she was 
too depressed even to try to follow. 

“ I^m glad I’m not learning French over in 
France,” Lloyd thought, appreciating Jeanne’s 
overpowering sense of aloofness from the gaiety 
around her as no other girl in the circle could. In- 
venting an excuse to change her seat, Lloyd went 
over to Jeanne, and in halting French began to 
tell her how the fire and the darkness reminded 
her of home — of long, hard rides after lost cattle, 
of evenings when the horses gave out and they had 
to camp in the open, and of the night she spent in 
Painted Gorge, alone with Ginger and the ghost of 
Old Man Dawson, with not even a fire to cheer and 
warm her. We never picnic for fun out there,” 
ended Lloyd, “ but we’re going to, now that I’ve 
learned how. Do you have picnics in France, 
Jeanne? ” 

The little foreigner, who had listened breath- 
lessly to Lloyd’s story, shook her head. Nothing 
like this ; only rustic fetes — very civil — no, very 
civilized, I mean to say. Please tell me more of 
your far-off home. Mademoiselle Lloyd.” 

Yes, do ! ” begged the others, who had been 
listening as eagerly as Jeanne. “ But speak Eng- 
lish now. It’s our turn.” 

“ And I shall try to understand also,” said 
Jeanne, slipping her thin little hand into Lloyd’s 

255 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

big brown one under cover of the dark, as if to say 
that she understood why Lloyd, the heroine of the 
hour, had come to sit beside her and tail; to her of 
things far away and strange. 

So Lloyd told how Burnt Fork was shot up 
the night she and her father and Pete rode in from 
a visit to one of their outlying ranches ; how Pete 
had mastered four outlaws single-handed down in 
the bad lands ; and how she had helped Pete and 
the rest to fight the big fire that gave Burnt Fork 
its name. 

IVe talked too much,’^ she declared finally, 
with a sudden return of her habitual shyness. 

And I^m sure iPs time to go home.’^ 

Everybody laughed at that, and Lloyd had to 
stand much good-natured chaffing over her anxiety 
to have her very own party ended. But un- 
fortunately it was time to go home. Under cover 
of the darkness and the confusion of departure, 
Lloyd turned again to Jeanne. 

Don^t be discouraged,’’ she whispered. We’re 
both strangers to all this sort of thing, and it’s 
hard for us to get along here. But I’ve stayed a 
whole year, and I’m glad I stuck it out. You’ll be 
glad too, some day.” 

“ Ah, mademoiselle, you comfort me,” said 
Jeanne softly. I see you understand how diffi- 
cult it is to learn the strange new ways.” 

256 


FOR FRIENDSHIP'S SAKE 

And then and there was cemented a friendship 
between the Western heiress and the fatherless lit- 
tle French girl, that was to mean much to them 
both in days to come. 

^*The best point about Wonders,” said Jane 
Learned that night to Christina, ‘Ms that one 
Wonder makes another. Lloyd, being chirked up 
herself, went and chirked up poor Jeanne, as we 
ought to have done, since she^s our waif ; only we 
couldn^t or didn^t. The two of them came up 
from the wharf arm in arm, like real old pals.” 

“ Pals is slang, Jane,” reproved Christina 
severely. “ But wasn^t it all a nice Wonder ? 
And the most wonderful Wonder is that Grace Al- 
len thought of it.” 

“ So the friendship motto worked all right in the 
end,” Nancy confided hastily to the Red Journal. 
“ And I have hopes that mine is going to work 
better, since IVe realized how many things you 
have to think about when you ‘ set out to do * 
something. So far Fve been as regular at Sub 
Crew practice as I set out to be, and to-day Billy 
thanked me, and said she was proud of the Subs — 
dear old Billy ! 

“ They Ve made me treasurer of Timmy’s money. 
I’m awfully scared, but Miss Dutton has promised 
to go to the bank with me and explain things. 
She and Miss Marshall and Miss Cripps are the 
257 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


trustees of the fund. I feel pretty proud, I can 
tell you, Red Journal, to be treasurer of such lots 
of money. ‘ Pride goeth before a fall ' is an im- 
proving quotation that I always did hate. I hope 
it isn^t going to happen to me now. 

N. B. Only two more chances to get red 
circles this term, N. Lee. So keep trying. 


258 


CHAPTER XVI 


A RACE AND A ROBBERY 

Another exciting day ! But all days seemed to 
be exciting just at present, Nancy reflected hap- 
pily. This one was the annual Fair Oaks Float 
Day, with the Red-Blue race in the afternoon, the 
Canoe Procession from sunset to dusk, and after 
that music, and flreworks from across the lake. 
As a crowning feature, the Ogre was coming, — he 
happened opportunely to be spending a few days at 
the village inn, — and as usual Plain Mary, whose 
estimate of her own charms was ver}^ humble, had 
invited Jane and Nancy to help entertain him. 

In spite of valiant efforts to keep her mind on 
lessons, Nancy found herself smiling delightedly 
in algebra class when the rather watery sunshine 
of early morning settled into a steady glow that 
augured well for a really pleasant day ; counting 
the hours she had spent with the Subs,^^ in the 
midst of “ Current Events class ; and blessing 
Miss Cripps for her humanity in assigning Why I 

Think the Crew Will Win,^^ as the topic for a 

ten-minute written exercise in argument. Needless 
to say, Nancy wrote Red in the space dispassion- 
259 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


ately left blank by Miss Cripps ; and for once her 
ideas drove her fountain-pen over the paper at top 
speed. Of course the Reds would win ; Nancy 
knew dozens of good reasons why they not only 
would, but must ; beginning with the excellent 
new stroke they were using, and ending with Billy's 
wonderful management of her men." Nancy 
forebore to mention the value of the stiff practice- 
races that the Red Subs had furnished for their 
crew ; it was a pity to leave out so clinching an 
argument, but modesty forbade her to include it. 

Float Day was a half-holiday. After lunch 
Nancy wandered over to the Senior House to speak 
a last word of cheer to Billy, who, like most won- 
derful managers, needed an outlet in her moments 
of depression, and had found the cheery little Sub- 
captain very useful in that capacity. But Billy 
was lying flat on the floor in her darkened room, 
resting for the greatest hour of her year ; and Vera 
Lawson, sitting on guard in their study, chose to 
forget Billy's instructions to the effect that the Sub- 
captain (and nobody else) might come in for a 
minute. So, feeling just a little hurt, and realiz- 
ing suddenly that, after all, a Sub is only a Sub, 
and that her hours of faithful practice had not won 
back the coveted seat in the good ship Invincible" 
that earlier carelessness had lost her, Nancy walked 
slowly back to the dormitory. 

260 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


In her study she found Jane and Christina, Plain 
Mary, and Alice Borden, impatiently awaiting 
her. 

“ WeVe collected the Timmy-subscriptions,^^ ex- 
plained Jane. We didn’t dare to wait later than 
the first week of the month, for fear the girls would 
use up their allowances ; and we thought this after- 
noon would be a good time to collect, because most 
people are in their rooms fixing up for the festivi- 
ties.” 

It’s all there but ninety-six cents,” added Alice 
Borden. 

“ Our sixty-six,” put in Christina, and your 
thirty. Ours is spent, but we’ve written home to 
borrow it. We think they’ll be willing to advance 
it to us out of next month’s allowance, as it’s for 
Timmy.” 

Besides,” added Jane, we offered to work it 
out, if preferred, at bargain rates. A week’s dust- 
ing, ten cents ; Thursday night suppers, when the 
cook is out, ten cents per ; and other services in 
proportion.” 

Mrs. Barton still has the money from the 
party,” put in Plain Mary. ‘‘ Dr. Jim said yester- 
day to tell you that it was ‘ yours to command,’ 
but I forgot.” 

As they talked, the collectors had poured into 
Nancy’s lap a miscellaneous mass of coppers, silver, 
261 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


and small bills, amounting, according to their 
calculations, to forty-nine dollars and sixty-nine 
cents. 

But you’d better count it,” advised Christina, 
“ because I’m very poor at making change. I’m 
sure I got all she’d promised from each girl, and 
maybe I got more.” 

“ You can’t bank it till to-morrow,” said practi- 
cal Alice. “ But it will be all right. Miss Mar- 
shall will keep it over night in her safe, if you like.” 

And the school store will be glad to change 
that ^chicken-feed’ into bills,” suggested Jane. 

Count it out, Nancy, and I’ll take it down for 
you. I’m not going to doll up for the party- 
doings, you see — never do, as it’s against my well- 
known principles. So I have loads of time.” 

Nancy and Jane carefully counted all the small 
change in the pile, and while Nancy counted and 
sorted her bills, Jane went to the school store to 
exchange a tea-tray full of coin for something less 
cumbrous. 

She was away for some time on her mission. 
Nancy piled the bills neatly, and, fastening them 
with an elastic band , began to dress for the afternoon . 
She had smoothed her yellow hair, and was deciding 
anxiously between a blue dimity and a dressier 
white linen, which would be just the thing if only 
it didn’t need pressing, when somebody knocked 
262 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


on the study-door. It wasn’t Jane ; Jane didn’t 
knock and wait ; she banged and walked in. Grace, 
who objected to interruptions while she was dress- 
ing, shut her bedroom door with a snap that meant 
It’s not my caller. I’m sure ; ” and Nancy, slip- 
ping on her blue kimono, went to see what was 
wanted. In the door stood Vera Lawson, wearing 
her haughtiest manner. Behind Vera, Jane was 
rushing down the corridor, both hands full of bills. 
When she saw Vera, she stopped running, and, wav- 
ing the bills mockingly over her head, silently 
awaited developments. 

'' Come in, Vera,” said Nancy. 

No, thank you,” returned Vera coldly. Billy 
sent me to tell you that you’re to row on the Reds. 
That stupid Lotta Ray caught her hand in a door, 
and can’t hold an oar in it. You can wear her Red 
sweater, if you’ll send some one to the Junior House 
for it. Billy wants you to meet the crew in our 
rooms in half an hour.” 

Having delivered her message, Vera prepared 
to withdraw, and backed gracefully into Jane 
Learned, who received the onslaught with a 
startled crumpling of the bills in her hand, and a 
muttered “ Great hat ! ” 

Vera shrugged disdainfully, and started on again. 

Oh, please wait a minute, Vera,” cried Nancy, 
who was just beginning to recover from her aston- 
263 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


ishment. I don^t understand, I’m afraid. Does 
Billy want me to row in Lotta’s place— to-day — 
in the big race — when I’ve rowed with them only 
twice since the crew was regularly made up ? ” 

‘‘ Yes,” assented Vera coldly, she does. They 
can’t manage the boat without a full crew, I sup- 
pose. I really know nothing about it. Billy was 
feeling so worried and blue that I came over here 
to oblige her.” 

“ Oh, I can’t ! I should lose them the race ! I 
should be so scared that I’d — catch crabs,” pro- 
tested Nancy. 

Vera’s smooth forehead wrinkled in a puzzled, 
scornful frown. There are no crabs in our lake,” 
she announced blandly, whereat Jane, who under- 
stood nautical slang though she could not row a 
stroke, chuckled, and muttered Great hat ! ” again. 

I never thought that the Subs really sub- 
stituted,” said Nancy, disregarding Vera’s digres- 
sion. ‘‘ I thought they just gave the crews a better 
chance to practice.” 

“ Billy says this is the first time in years that a 
member of the Reds has failed to row in the big 
race,” explained Vera, softening a little in order to 
get matters settled for Billy. “ You’d better be 
dressing, hadn’t you?” she added rather impa- 
tiently. There isn’t much time.” 

“ But I can’t do it,” protested Nancy weakly. 

264 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


I just can^t do it I I should love to, but I can^t 
bear to lose them the race/^ 

Vera frowned again in annoyance. “ Billy said 
you would be delighted to have a chance to row,^^ 
she announced tactlessly. I really can^t argue 
with you. I don’t understand anything about crews 
or races. 1 came to oblige Billy, because there was 
no one else around to come ; and now I must go 
home to dress.” 

But I can’t ” began Nancy. 

Nonsense I ” Jane Learned, her hands full of 
crumpled bills, suddenly stepped forward and took 
command of the situation. Of course you can. 
Remember my motto : What you have never done 
before you can do again ; also my other favorite 
watchword : ^ The last minute for mine — it pays to 
wait.’ They fit this situation like a glove, N. Lee. 
Now you take this money and tuck it away in some 
safe spot, like your desk drawer ; and while you 
dress I’ll saunter over and procure you the ofiicial 
Red sweater. Tell Captain Billy that it’s all right,” 
ended Jane with a lordly gesture of dismissal for 
Vera, who departed summarily, returning, however, 
a moment later, to make sure that Nancy under- 
stood about the appointment with Billy. 

Yes,” said Nancy, who was smoothing the bills 
that Jane had crumpled and laying them all 
neatly together in a small drawer of her desk, 
265 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


hastily emptied for the purpose. “ In half an 
hour, you said. I'll be ready. It takes me only a 
second to dress. This is Timmy’s money, Vera, — 
the part that the girls gave. There’s over forty- 
nine dollars.” 

“ That’s very nice. I’m sure,” said Vera patron- 
izingly, and once more she departed. 

Nancy had filled the improvised money-drawer, 
and was putting it back in its place, when another 
shadow darkened the study door. This time it 
was Jeanne Durand. 

One hand on the open drawer, Nancy turned 
to Jeanne with a welcoming smile. The most 
exciting and frightful thing has happened to me,” 
she explained. ‘‘I’ve just discovered that I’m to 
row on the Red Crew, in the place of a girl who’s 
hurt her hand. Imagine that, when I’ve hardly 
practiced in their boat at all ! Oh, Jeanne, I’m 
scared to pieces — but I’m fearfully happy too.” 

“ And busy — what you say ? — rushed to death,” 
added little Jeanne with her wistful smile. “ So I 
will go at once and not be in the way.” 

“ You’re not in the way, Jeanne,” said Nancy, 
too happy not to be cordial. “ I’ve just been 
counting and putting away Timmy’s money that 
the girls collected this afternoon. Now I’m going 
to braid my hair tighter. You see, when I began 
dressing I didn’t know that I was an Invincible. 

266 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


Come in and talk to me while I get ready to be 
one.’' 

But Jeanne refused to stay. Another time, 
when you are no longer in excitement. Then I 
will come and tell you many things, and you shall 
advise.” 

All right, Jeanne. Perhaps that will be bet- 
ter,” agreed Nancy carelessly, rushing to tell Grace 
the news. It was not until she had dressed for the 
race, and, with Lotta’s sweater over her shoulder, 
was starting to keep her engagement with Billy, 
that Nancy, glancing at her desk, noticed the small 
drawer still hanging open and closed it with a jerk. 
As she ran down-stairs, she wondered whether she 
ought to inform the trustees of the Baby Fund that 
the Fair Oaks subscriptions were in her hands ; 
but she decided hastily that it would be foolish 
to do that now, especially as she was already late 
for the conference with Billy. 

Nancy found the entire Bed Crew, including the 
crippled and tearful Lotta, assembled in Billy’s 
cool, darkened bedroom. Joyously, they fell upon 
the Sub-captain, and all talking at once bombarded 
her with instructions, advice, and congratulations, 
until Billy turned them out into the study, and in 
five minutes told Nancy all that she most needed 
to know, besides inspiring her with the confidence 
that she needed most of all. When, at ten min- 
267 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


utes before four — the hour of the great race — 
Nancy marched with the other Reds from the 
Senior Cottage to the boat-house, between applaud- 
ing lines of Fair Oaks girls and Float Day visitors, 
she confided to Margaret Lewis that she felt just 
as if she had always been an Invincible. 

And yet, if Jane hadn’t insisted, in her funny, 
comical way, I should have made Vera go back 
and say that I just couldn’t do it.” 

Billy told Vera not to let you say no,” Margaret 
told her. “ I came over with the sad news from 
Lotta, and so I heard what Billy said to Vera. 
She asked her to go because she can always make 
people do what she wants.” 

“ She didn’t try much with me,” said Nancy 
thoughtfully. “ It was Jane who made me do it. 
But Vera took pains to come back and make sure 
that I understood about meeting with you at 
the Cottage. Oh, Margaret, what if we should 
lose ! ” 

“ We shan’t. You mustn’t even think of it,” 
declared Margaret. 

Nancy didn’t. Neither did she think of catch- 
ing crabs. She put her whole mind on keeping 
stroke, and she rowed so well that nobody among 
the spectators on the bank could have guessed 
which was the Sub ; they would far sooner have 
picked Mildred, or a tall, nervous girl named 
268 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


Felicia Harrington, who kept muttering, Row 
on ! Row on I ” in a most disconcerting fashion. 

A race is a lot like a wedding, isn’t it ? ” said 
Jane, on the bank, to Plain Mary and Dr. Jim. 
“ Lots of fuss and feathers beforehand, and then 
all over in a minute.” 

This particular race lasted exactly four minutes 
and twenty-six seconds, from its start beyond the 
curve of the lake to its finish opposite the boat- 
house. It was neck and neck all the way, and it 
ended — ingloriously for the hitherto always vic- 
torious Reds — in a tie. 

But a tie doesn't deprive the Invincibles of 
their title,” said Captain Billy gaily, after one lit- 
tle moment of bitter disappointment. 

“ It’s nicer for the Blues than being beaten,” 
piped up Mildred Wallace. 

And it’s not Nancy Lee’s fault,” cried Margaret, 
who had noticed the anguished look on the Sub- 
captain’s face. 

It’s Nancy’s glory,” declared Billy vehemently. 
“ If Nancy hadn’t rowed like a scholar and a sports- 
man, we should have been beaten into the end of 
next week.” 

Dr. Jim and Plain Mary and Jane, coming to 
congratulate the missing member of their special 
party, repeated Billy’s declaration that the Sub 
had saved the day for the Reds. 

269 


NANCY LEE'S SPRING TERM 


“ Then I am really to blame for the miserable 
tie,” sighed Nancy, because if I hadn't cut prac- 
tice at first I should have been really an In- 
vincible, and then we might have won out- 
right.” 

Also, you might have lost outright,” said Jane. 

Exactly,” smiled Dr. Jim. “ You can argue 
endlessly of possibilities, but there is no difference 
of opinion about the deliciousness of Fair Oaks 
lemonade. Come and cool off with some. Miss 
Nancy.” 

How's the puppy ? ” asked Nancy, between re- 
freshing sips. 

‘‘ Oh, Commander’s all right,” laughed Dr. Jim. 

You would better ask how much is left of my 
farm since Commander took possession. It's minus 
several chickens, and one new harness has been 
chewed to ruins, besides some minor disasters. 
But that boy Rob has grown ten years younger 
and happier ; so I still defer to your high opinion 
of the curative value of puppies. Miss Nancy.” 

A regular feature of Float Day was the outdoor 
supper on the piazza. While it was going on, fan- 
tastic figures crept out side-doors and ran by ob- 
scure paths to the boat-house. Just as the sunset 
was at its loveliest, a bugle summoned the ban- 
queters to watch the cortege of decorated canoes 
winding, like some great, wonderfully colored, 
270 


A RACE AND A ROBBERY 


sinuous snake, across the little lake, then up and 
down and back again, growing ghost-like in the 
gathering dusk, and finally gaining a new beauty, 
as the festoons of lanterns that each canoe carried 
were lighted, and fresh charm as the crews broke 
into song. 

Finally the little boats massed in a dim, firefly- 
lit company by the boat-house, and, to more music 
on the water and from the crowds on shore, the 
fireworks were sent up from the opposite bank of 
the lake. They were not very wonderful fire- 
works, but the night was perfect for them, and so 
was the setting of lake and wood, with the group 
of lighted boats splashing the foreground with 
color and breaking the dark water into rippling 
reflections. Girls are easily pleased ; and their 
high spirits infected the rest of the crowd. 

'' Too bad Timmy couldn't stay up to see it all," 
mourned Nancy. “ Then it would have been per- 
fect." 

What an absurd idea ! " commented Plain 
Mary. The way Timmy howled, when Mary 
Ann carried him off to bed to-night, showed that 
he'd already had far too much excitement." 

“ Yes, I know," said Nancy sadly. '' Only it’s 
hard for me to believe in all these rules about 
normal children." 

“ Knowing and believing are two entirely dif- 
271 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


ferent things, aren’t they?” mused Jane. “For 
instance, I know that to-morrow will be a regular 
school-day, with lessons, sewing, and even, I fear, 
a Neatness and Order report ; but to-night I can’t 
realize it. I can’t believe that all this leisurely 
loveliness that surrounds me will vanish with the 
dawn, any more than Nancy can believe that 
Timmy wouldn’t have loved to stay and see it 
through.” 

“That’s very well put. Miss Jane,” laughed 
Dr. Jim. “ And I’m rather glad that the course 
in scientific baby-tending hasn’t converted all of 
you to the latest theories. I will confess to you 
three in confidence, that I tried to bribe Mary 
Ann into letting me carry Timmy around for a 
while longer, and her stern insistence on his reg- 
ular bedtime annoyed me, even while I ^ knew,’ 
as Miss Jane says, that Mary Ann was in the 
right. You’ve heard nothing more from the 
Kansas City people, I suppose.” 

“ Not yet,” said Plain Mary. “ Miss Marshall 
wrote to Mr. Sefton right away.” 

“ We aren’t in a great hurry to have to let 
Timmy go,” added Nancy. 

“We know we ought to want his parents to 
have him, but all the same we can’t bear to lose 
him,” explained Jane. 

“ Don’t tell Miss Marshall,” Dr. Jim confided in 
272 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 

a sepulchral whisper, but I can't bear to have 
him go either." 

“ Goody ! " cried Plain Mary. 

The money we have for him won't last for- 
ever," warned Nancy. 

But when it’s gone we'll get more," added 
optimistic Jane. Let's change our war-cry, ‘ For 
Timmy,' to ‘ Timmy forever ’ I " 

“ Wouldn't it be safer to amend that to ‘ till he's 
of age ' ? " suggested Dr. Jim solemnly. You 
really couldn't hope to keep him tied to your 
feminine apron-strings longer than that, you 
know.” 

Upon being accused of joking by Plain Mary, 
who always took her delightful guardian with the 
utmost seriousness until driven to regard him in 
another light. Dr. Jim told her gaily that, if she 
felt that way about him, it was certainly time for 
him to go. The campus was emptying rapidly, 
and Miss Cripps, stationed at the dormitory door 
to check up her charges as they returned, in- 
formed Jane and Nancy that they were among the 
very last comers, and that in fifteen minutes the 
lights would go out. 

Five minutes of the precious fifteen were wasted 
in divesting Christina of a Pocahontas costume 
and complexion, which she had donned to adorn 
the Canoe of the Aborigines. And then Nancy 

273 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


had to give Grace, who was already in bed, some 
“ inside information ’’ about the race. The lights 
flickered and died out while Nancy sat on Grace’s 
bed talking. 

Oh, dear I ” she cried in sudden consternation. 
“ I suppose I’m supposed to be ready for bed now. 
It’s awfully inconvenient to be on your honor all 
the time, because of Timmy, isn’t it ? Good-night, 
Grace.” 

Three minutes later Nancy Lee lay in her own 
bed, ready for the sleep that usually came to her 
as soon as her head tauched its pillow. She was 
ready for it to-night, between excitement, and 
exertion, and the unusually late hour. The bed 
felt deliciously soft and “ comfy,” and Nancy 
snuggled down as contentedly as a sleepy kitten. 
But the next minute she was sitting bolt upright, 
struck by a sudden thought. Timmy’s money ! 
She hadn’t given it to Miss Marshall to put in the 
safe. She hadn’t even looked to see if it was still 
in her desk. But of course it was ! 

Nancy crept softly out into the study and opened 
the little drawer. There was a reassuring crumple 
of stiff bills as she put her hand in ; and then 
Nancy gave a low cry of surprise and dismay. 
There were just two bills in the box, and under 
them a wad of soft paper to hold them up and 
make the drawer look full. 

274 







NOW, LOOK AGAIN 







A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


“ Grace ! ” called Nancy, and in a minute Grace, 
shivering with fright over the first noise that 
Nancy had made, appeared at her side. “ The 
money is gone T’ whispered Nancy, her eyes round 
with horror. Timmy’s money ! All but two 
bills. Oh, Grace, isn’t it dreadful ? ” 

Grace felt her way among the huddled bric-a- 
brac on Nancy’s desk until she found the matches. 
“ Now,” she said, when she had lighted both of 
Nancy’s slender brass tapers, now, look again, 
Nancy, and be quite sure.” 

Nancy’s yellow head bent low over the drawer. 
Then she pulled it out of the desk and held it up 
for Grace to see. “ The two bills that are left are 
ones,” she said despairingly, ‘‘ and the tissue paper 
underneath is some that was in my waste-basket. 
Oh, Grace, what shall we do ? ” 

Grace sat down deliberately in Nancy’s desk 
chair. It’s too late to do anything to-night, I 
guess,” she said finally. 

“ Oh, but we must, Grace,” wailed Nancy. I 
must, I mean. I’m treasurer of Timmy’s money, 
you know. It’s Timmy’s money — all that the 
girls promised, except Jane-and-Christina’s sixty- 
six cents, that they didn’t have because they’d 
spent it, and my thirty, that I was too rushed this 
afternoon to put in.” 

“Then that much is saved,” said Grace gravely. 

275 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Ninety-six cents saved, and over forty-seven 
dollan goneT^ smiled Nancy. Do you under- 
stand, Grace ? I left it all in this drawer before 
the race, and now it’s gone. I couldn’t take it to 
the bank to-day, could I ? But I ought to have 
asked Miss Marshall to keep it in her safe. I’ve 
been careless again. Now they’ll never, never 
trust me with anything. Father will replace the 
money, of course, — he wouldn’t let Timmy suffer 
through me, — but everybody will know that I lost 
it — Timmy’s money. Oh, Grace I ” 

We’d better call Jane and Christina,” said 
Grace, who, not being used to playing the part of 
consoler and comforter, found Nancy’s grief quite 
terrible. Jane helped you count the money, and 
perhaps she took it to Miss Marshall — or hid it 
away somewhere for a joke.” 

But the twins, who were discovered still work- 
ing, in the dark, on the obstinate remnants of 
Pocahontas’s swarthy tan, — which really could not 
appear at classes next morning in connection with 
Christina’s blond hair, — were both almost as 
amazed and alarmed as Nancy. 

“ All that money gone ! ” cried Christina. Oh, 
what a shame that we happened to collect it to- 
day.” 

“ Indeed, I didn’t take it to Miss Marshall, or 
hide it,” declared Jane solemnly. “ I should con- 
276 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


sider hiding that pile of money a very poor 
joke/^ 

What do you think happened to it ? ” de- 
manded Grace Allen, who had absurdly un- 
bounded confidence in Janets intuitions. 

Jane shook her head dubiously. How should 
I know, Grace ? The school grounds were full of 
strangers to-day.’^ 

Yes,’' said Grace, but there were maids at all 
the doors to let people in and out, and none but 
the girls were allowed up-stairs. I know about 
that, because I came to the house when Mary Ann 
was taking her turn at our front door, and of 
course she stopped me to explain all about the 
arrangements.” 

Of course,” said Jane grimly. Well, that 
practically eliminates the stray female of burglari- 
ous intent, who might have walked in at one of 
the doors. And it certainly hasn’t been a likely 
day for a burglar to climb in at a window. That 
leaves us and the maids.” 

Jane ! ” Christina’s voice sounded a note of 
shocked propriety. 

“ Well, why not face the facts, Christina dar- 
ling ? ” asked Jane, with a consolatory pat on 
Christina’s arm. “ You and I and Plain Mary and 
Alice Borden and ” 

“ I,” put in Grace quietly. 

2/7 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ And you,” went on Jane coolly, “ knew that 
Nancy had this money. 

“ I myself suggested her putting it away in her 
desk drawer. Oh, yes, Vera Lawson knew about 
it, too — she was here telling Nancy about the crew 
when I came up with the bills. She heard me 
speak of using the desk drawer — that is, if she 
condescended to put ear to my childish patter. 
Any one else involved, Nancy? ” 

Yes,” said Nancy, falling easily into Janets 
matter-of-fact method of discussion. Jeanne 
Durand came in just as I was putting the money 
away, and I believe I mentioned it to her. But 
she probably didn't understand what I was talking 
about.” 

“ Did she see the money ? ” asked Jane. 

“ Yes, I think she must have.” 

Any one else ? ” 

‘‘No, I shut the drawer soon after that, and 
never thought of the money again until just now.” 

Jane stood up and stretched lazily. “ Well, then 
we may as well go to bed. We can’t run around 
to-night, routing out the rest of the suspects ” 

“Jane ! ” protested Christina again. 

“We’ve just got to face the facts, Christina,” 
Jane insisted. “ But what I was going to say was 
this : any one of the girls who knew you had the 
money, and didn’t know about the guarded doors 
278 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


down-stairs, may have thought that the fund ought 
to go right into the safe ; and in the confusion and 
excitement one of them may have taken it and for- 
gotten to tell you — just as Grace thought I might 
have done so.” 

“ But Alice and Mary didn^t know where Nancy 
put the money,” objected Christina, any more 
than I did.” 

Um — that's so,” considered Jane. But Vera 
Lawson knew. Vera likes to manage other peo- 
ple's affairs. Perhaps she took charge of the Timmy 
fund.” 

'' She certainly knew how flustered and hur- 
ried I was,” suggested Nancy hopefully, “ and 
how likely I'd be to forget everything but the 
race.” 

Have you looked around to see if any one left 
a note about it ? ” asked Grace. 

But careful search by the light of the tapers 
failed to reveal a note. 

“ Vera wouldn't have left one,” said Jane. She 
wouldn't condescend so far. She's got some mys- 
terious feud with Nancy and us twins. If she took 
the money for safe-keeping, she'd like to make us 
worry a little. Come to bed, Christina. There's 
nothing more to be done to-night.” 

‘‘Thank you a lot for all your good ideas,” said 
Nancy faintly. “ Of course if the money is really 
279 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


lost, father will replace it. But oh, I do hate to 
have them all know how careless IVe been.^' 

Well, I^m afraid we'd better not try to conceal 
this piece of carelessness by covering it with a 
feature," said Jane, adding reassuringly, I don't 
think you were very careless, Nancy. I was more 
to blame than you, for suggesting that you save 
time by stuffing the money away in a drawer. If 
it has to be replaced, I shall go halves with 
you." 

I want to help too," said Christina. 

“ So do I," put in Grace. I ought to have 
asked Nancy how I could help her, when I saw 
how — how " 

Rattled she was about the crew business," Jane 
supplied. 

“ Yes," agreed Grace. “ I ought to have looked 
after her." 

Grace's assumption of responsibility for Nancy's 
vagaries was so comical that the others laughed in 
spite of their worry. 

You’re all perfect dears," said Nancy heartily. 
‘^And I appreciate your wanting to help replace 
the money, but I shan't let you. If Jane's calcu- 
lations are right," she added hastily, the money 
can't be stolen. For we've gone over all the possi- 
bilities — as Jane calls them — and we know per- 
fectly well that the servants are honest, and that 
280 


A RACE AND A ROBBERT 


none of those girls who knew about it took Timmy’s 
money, except for safe-keeping.” 

Of course not,” said Christina. 

Of course not,” echoed Grace. 

Jane said nothing, which was not considered 
strange, since she was out in the corridor before 
Christina and Grace had spoken. Jane was intent 
upon getting Christina away before the smaller 
twin remembered something : an unpleasant epi- 
sode that had happened at their first boarding- 
school and that had impressed upon Jane’s facile 
mind the fact that there can be no easy dismissal 
of “ possibilities ” when money is missing. 

“ Great hat ! ” sighed Jane, in the hall. Why 
didn’t I remember that sooner? I knew money 
wasn’t safe anywhere. I knew it hard. Why on 
earth did I babble about stuffing fifty dollars into 
a desk drawer ? ” 


281 


CHAPTER XVII 


TKOUBLOUS TIMES 

Nancy Lee was too tired not to sleep in spite 
of her worry. But she dreamed dreadful dreams 
that came to a climax when Jane Learned began 
pelting her with dollar bills, and Billy Bray, com- 
ing to the rescue of her faithful Sub-captain, hit 
Jane over the head with an oar ; whereupon Nancy 
screamed and woke herself up, feeling as if she had 
been asleep about ten minutes, to find the sun 
shining, and Grace, in a dainty negligee, shaking 
her shoulder. 

I felt sure you wouldn't want to be late this 
morning," said Grace. 

Nancy blinked wearily. Would it count for a 
red circle, if I were?" she demanded vaguely. 
‘‘ Oh I Now I remember ! Thank you, Grace. 
Has the rising bell just this minute rung? Then 
perhaps I can see Vera before breakfast." 

And I'll see Mary Smith and Alice Borden," 
offered Grace. “ They're in the same house." 

When Nancy and Grace, returned from their re- 
spective missions, met in the breakfast crowd down- 
282 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


stairs, the downcast face of each told the other that 
the lost money was not accounted for. 

The twins speedily joined the roommates, and 
Jane at once took command of the situation. 

Christina and Plain Mary and I will go with you 
after chapel, when you tell Miss Marshall about 
it,^^ she informed Nancy. I presume Alice will 
want to come with us. WeM better not talk 
much now, so do just tell me whether the others 
had any theories to offer when you went to see 
them.^^ 

Grace said, “ Not any new ones,^’ decisively. 

Nancy blushed. I talked with Vera only a 
minute. She said sheM think it over and see me 
again. 

Jane smiled. “ She wants to beat me in my un- 
rivaled presentation of ‘ Jane, the beautiful young 
detective.’ She’s certainly welcome to try this 
time.” 

Nancy’s breakfast was untouched. She had 
hoped against hope that morning would bring 
back the money. Now hope seemed gone. Excus- 
ing herself, she went to the school post-office, 
where she scribbled a special-delivery letter to her 
father. He would get it that afternoon, and he 
would telegraph a reassuring answer, Nancy felt 
sure. But until the positive assurance that she 
could make good Timmy’s loss was actually in her 
283 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

hands, Nancy felt that life would not be worth 
living. 

The next thing was to see Miss Marshall. Up in 
her study, staring out at the sunlit campus, Nancy 
tried to plan what she should say. It was kind of 
Jane and the rest to stand by her, but at the idea 
of explaining before them all, Nancy’s hands grew 
cold and her cheeks hot. Still, they had a right 
to come. They were the Collection Committee, 
Nancy was Treasurer, and the money that the 
Committee had given her was gone — Timmy’s 
money, that the girls had contributed. Perhaps 
the girls, too, had a right to know what had hap- 
pened. So, certainly, had the other trustees. Miss 
Cripps and Miss Dutton. Mary Ann and Cook had 
each contributed a quarter. Yes, every one at Fair 
Oaks was involved in Nancy Lee’s last and worst 
piece of forgetfulness. 

The chapel hour was at once agonizing delay 
and all-too-short respite. Nancy’s hands grew 
colder ; icy chills crept up and down her spine. 
When the service was over and she found Jane, 
who was marshaling her forces in the corridor, 
Nancy looked so white and wan that Jane was 
frightened. 

“ Buck up, N. Lee ! ” she advised hastily. You 
look as if you thought we thought you’d taken the 
money. If you had, you couldn’t buck up, of 
284 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


course. But under the more favorable present 
circumstances you can. Remember that Miss 
Marshall’s a little bit of all right, and that you 
shouldn’t cry over spilt milk, and smile. That’s 
right ! Come along, girls.” 

Miss Marshall listened to Nancy’s logically-told 
story with a kindly seriousness that made every 
girl in the room feel at once relieved of a load of 
worry and shouldered with a new responsibility. 

‘‘ I have written father,” Nancy concluded her 
story. And I am sure — almost sure — that he 
will let me make good this loss myself. And as it 
all came from my having been careless, couldn’t 
we wait. Miss Marshall, until I’ve heard from 
him ? And then, if he writes what I think he will, 
couldn’t we quietly drop the matter? If there has 
been some — mistake, the money will be returned. 
And if not, — unless it was taken by an outsider, 
which doesn’t seem possible, — oh. Miss Marshall, I 
couldn’t bear to have one of the servants — or — 

or You know what I want to say. Miss 

Marshall ! ” 

Yes,” agreed Miss Marshall quietly, “ I know 

exactly. You want to replace the money ” 

The rest of us collectors want to help about 
that,” cut in Jane eagerly. 

Miss Marshall nodded. And in that way you 
want to pay for your carelessness without involv- 
285 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


ing any one else. That won’t do. One way that 
people have to pay for their carelessness is by see- 
ing the injuries they inflict on others. You care- 
lessly gave somebody a chance to be, I’m afraid, 
dishonest. Now you must take the consequences, 
and let the other person or persons share them. 
I’m sorry, Nancy, but I can’t see any other way 
out.” 

She wasn’t so very careless, was she ? ” de- 
manded little Christina eagerly. Lots of the 
girls leave their money around. There are chances 
here all the time to be — dishonest. And Jane 
suggested using the desk drawer.” 

“ I did,” interposed Jane calmly, and I ought 
to have known better. I did know better. Miss 
Marshall.” 

Miss Marshall sighed. It’s a pity, Jane, that we 
have to know better, isn’t it ? ” Then she turned 
suddenly terse and businesslike, asked swift, in- 
cisive questions that speedily brought out all Jane’s 
‘‘ possibilities ” and one or two more, mapped out a 
plan of campaign, rang for Mary Ann, who could 
give details of the afternoon’s door-tending, and 
dismissed the girls with a stern, “ No gossiping 
about this, please. I shall warn Vera and Jeanne 
to say nothing,” and a farewell smile that cheered 
them all for the day’s work. 

At four o’clock exactly, Nancy’s telegram ar- 
286 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


rived : Will cancel plan for your taking special 
vacation trip, and send forty-nine — sixty-nine, if 
desired.’^ 

Nancy rushed with the good news to Grace and 
the twins. 

Too bad,” said Jane, who got hold of the tele- 
gram first. 

Nancy stared. Oh, you mean about the trip. 
I don’t care anything about that. Of course it’s 
fun to go off sailing, or camping or something like 
that. I wonder if father and mother and Dick 
will go without me. Well, anyhow, I don’t care. 
I must hurry and tell Miss Marshall.” 

She’s extra busy to-day, Nancy,” warned Grace. 

And didn’t you say that she felt she must inves- 
tigate anyway, whether you could return the 
money yourself or not ? ” 

Nancy nodded sadly. So of course I needn’t 
bother her. Oh, dear ! ” 

You’d better come and play tennis with me,” 
advised Christina. 

Thank you, but I can’t,” declared Nancy 
desperately. “ I’ll write father to send the money, 

' and then I’ll go out and wander around and talk 
to people who don’t know anything about what’s 
happened. That’s all I’m good for this afternoon 
— lounging around like a Fashion Plate.” 

For a while Nancy did as she had intended, 
287 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


avoiding, easily enough, all those who were con- 
nected with her overwhelming misfortune, and 
diverting her thoughts by forcing herself to talk to 
the girls she happened to meet in the course of her 
“ lounging.’^ 

Come up in the Crooked Elm, Nancy. I want 
to talk to you.’^ 

Nancy, who had just sent off little Sarah, be- 
cause the child’s ceaseless chatter about the squir- 
rels wearied her, turned from idly watching Sarah’s 
little skipping figure, to be confronted with Jane 
Learned. Jane was still carrying her tennis 
racket. Her wispy hair was in her eyes, and she 
looked hot and tired after her hour’s hard exercise ; 
but the agitation that pervaded her tall figure had 
nothing whatever to do with the excitement of the 
tennis match, or the irritation of having lost a 
“ love ” set to Plain Mary Smith. 

In mournful silence Nancy followed Jane up the 
Crooked Elm’s stairway. Jane had discovered 
something about Timmy’s money, and it was not 
a pleasant disco ver}^ — to judge by Jane’s face. 

Well, N. Lee,” announced Jane, when they 
were comfortably settled, ^'somebody’s not playing 
the game. No, I don’t mean that any one has 
squealed — though naturally the girls suspect some- 
thing, with all the interviews Miss Marshall has 
had to-day and you sending special-deliveries and 
288 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


getting telegrams, and all. But somebody has 
been slugging — hitting Jeanne Durand from be- 
hind. A sweet story is going the rounds of the 
school to the effect that she tells lies.’^ 

Well, does she ? demanded Nancy vaguely. 

‘‘I shouldn’t suppose Oh, Jane, did Vera 

Lawson say that? ” 

Jane nodded slowly. Again we think alike, 
as we did about the mystery of the town arrow. 
But we couldn’t prove our suspicions then, and we 
can’t now, I suppose. Furnishing Vera with a 
motive for discrediting Jeanne’s character would 
be a pretty dangerous business.” 

I’m not sure that I quite understand you, 
Jane,” began Nancy doubtfully. 

The plain English is pretty blunt,” returned 
Jane. I mean that if Vera is trying to make any 
one think Jeanne the kind of person who’d take 
Timmy’s money, she must have a very good reason 
for doing it. I don’t think she’s taking a belated 
revenge for Jeanne’s having gotten the best of her 
at the archery tournament. I think this is a newer 
score than that month-old affair that Vera must 
have half forgotten before this. According to my 
notion, either Vera Lawson has good reason to 
think Jeanne took the money, or — she hasn’t.” 

Oh, Jane ! ” Nancy’s voice was full of horror. 

Oh, Jane ! I can’t think Vera knows any such 
289 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


thing. And I can’t think she naeant to connect 

Jeanne with the — the ” 

Robbery,” supplied Jane calmly. 

“ There’s something you don’t know, Jane,” 
went on Nancy swiftly, — a silly little thing that 
Jeanne told me a long time ago ; but I’ve never 
spoken of it, because I thought Jeanne would pre- 
fer that I shouldn’t.” Nancy related the story 
that Jeanne had told her, of the chateau, the 
wealthy and distinguished family, and the bril- 
liant social career that Vera Lawson had ingen- 
iously bestowed upon the fatherless, fortuneless 
little French girl, who hoped some day to be a 
governess in New York or Paris. And as Vera 
hasn’t a sense of humor,” ended Nancy at last, 
and hates to be teased, and doesn’t realize how 
Jeanne really said nothing, but just let her go 
rambling on about the ch&,teau and the motor cars 
and all, — why, I suppose Vera really believes that 
Jeanne isn’t truthful. Vera can’t see a joke — 
we’ve often noticed that. And of course if Jeanne 
hadn’t been joking, she’d have been wilfully de- 
ceiving Vera, and that would have been really — 
dishonest,” concluded Nancy with a quaver for 
the dreadful word. 

Jane listened patiently to Nancy’s story. ** So 
you think Vera is just peeved at Jeanne’s joke,” 
she said. '' You think the story has nothing at 
290 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


all to do with our robbery — that it’s a mere coin- 
cidence that this unpleasant rumor should be 
floated to-day, instead of yesterday or last week? ” 

Why, ye-es,” said Nancy, still not quite catch- 
ing Jane’s drift. 

Jane stared in thoughtful silence down over the 
green campus to the smooth blue lake. “ Why do 
you suppose Vera never told us about the chateau ? ” 
she wondered. “ It would have made a lovely 
tale .for the Vera-ites to listen to with bated breath. 
But, so far as I know, it has never been told to any 
one.” 

No,” said Nancy, I don’t believe it has. I 
can’t quite see why Vera didn’t tell — if she really 
believed in the chateau and the other splendors. 
And she must have believed, or she wouldn’t have 
been angry. Kittie told Christina that Vera and 
Jeanne have nothing to do with each other now.” 

U-um.” Jane stared engrossedly at the lake, 
the sky, and the meshes of her tennis racket. 

I say, N. Lee,” she began idly, at last, “ the 
Fault Factory is going to turn detective agency. 
Do you want to continue in your r61e of my chief 
assistant ? ” 

“ To hunt the — the — person who took Timmy’s 
money ? Is that what you’re going to try to de- 
tect, Jane ? ” 

Sure. Miss Marshall hasn’t half the chance we 
291 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

have to look into this business. We really ought to 
help, you know, Nancy. And if we succeed, why, 
you can go on your summer trip. The person whom 
we detect at having taken the money will natu- 
rally return it.^^ 

Haven't I said, Jane, that I don’t mind giving 
up the trip ? I feel to blame for all the trouble 
we’re in, and — oh, I can’t bear to know who took 
the money! The Fault Factory was just fun, but 
this — this will be dreadful earnest,” cried Nancy 
with a catch in her voice. No, Jane, I don’t 
want to help you at all.” 

Jane stared at her sensitive friend in silence, 
realizing with a sudden start of astonishment how 
much older and more experienced and more callous 
she was, in most matters, than Nancy Lee. As for 
Christina, that small person was about as much 
use in the present crisis as Timmy Lee Marshall. 
Jane would have to do what she did alone. 

But one thing, she resolved, Nancy should help 
her with. Nancy had been good enough friends 
with Vera until lately, and she was far more 
acute and observant than Christina. Therefore 
Nancy should interview Vera, — a thing which 
Jane, Vera’s hUe noir^ could ill manage, — find out 
the truth about Vera’s connection with the vaguely 
ugly and very ill-timed rumor about Jeanne, urge 
her to contradict or explain it, and — Well, notice 
292 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


a few small details/' as Jane put the matter to her- 
self, with inclusive vagueness. 

Now Nancy must be made to see her duty as 
Jane saw it, though motives, widely different from 
Jane's, would urge her to perform it. Jane would 
have interviewed Vera, — if Vera hadn't disliked her 
too much ever to talk to her freely, — in the inter- 
ests of truth, in the fascinating pursuit of knowl- 
edge. Now Nancy saw no charm in the scientific 
investigation of “ possibilities," and she particularly 
did not want to know the truth about the robbery. 
But she loved fair play, and she was genuinely fond 
of Jeanne Durand. Fair play for Jeanne, accord- 
ingly, was the note Jane craftily sounded. 

So, All right," she began finally, I’ll have to 
give my chief assistant a vacation, while the Fault 
Factory tries its hand at hunting defaulters instead 
of curing faults. But Nancy, there’s one thing I 
wish you did want to do, — or feel that you 
ought to do. Go to Vera Lawson, tell her that the 
girls are repeating insinuations on Jeanne’s honesty^ 
connecting them with the fact she’s an utter 
stranger to us all, appearing suddenly and for no 
good reason at the school ; and that when the facts 
of the robbery are made public, as they must be 
soon, public opinion will hint ^ Why not Jeanne 
Durand ? ' Tell her that you know all about the 
chateau business. Give her your — and Jeanne’s — 

293 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


version. Then ask her to be a good sport and 
explain to everybody — sacrifice her foolish pride 
to save Jeanne’s reputation. Keep your eyes open 
and find out why she’s been so snippy to you and 
Christina lately. Oh, and ask her why she sup- 
pressed her beautiful dreams of a superfine chliteau, 
with all the extras. Will you, Nancy ? I can’t, 
being too cordially hated by the great Vera to be 
received by her with the deference due my genius. 
And I truly think that just a word said right now 
would mean a lot later on to Jeanne — our waif-and- 
stray.” 

“ Would the girls really think she might 
have ? ” 

They certainly would,” returned Jane swiftly. 

That is, the foolish ones ; and they are bound to 
convince their wise friends, if we don’t convince 
them first.” 

All right,” said Nancy, rising. I think Vera 
went back to the Senior Cottage a few minutes 
ago.” And she began climbing down the steps to 
the ground. 

Jane watched her swift, graceful progress admir- 
ingly. Come back here when you’re through ! ” 
she called. Then, if it’s all right, I can begin 
spreading the real right story. I’m a perfect gen- 
ius at spreading things. 

But I wish,” added Jane to herself, that I 
294 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


was pretty and graceful and sweet and young- 
feeling. You can cultivate brains, and you have 
to grow up, whether you try to or not. But the 
best thing of all is to keep young-feeling, — to be- 
lieve in people and things. People are nice to 
Nancy because she thinks of course they will be. 
And yet Nancy's not stupid. If anybody can per- 
suade Vera Lawson to be generous about this 
business, Nancy can, because she can't imagine not 
being generous. But it will take cold and calculat- 
ing me, who can imagine anything, to see through 
Vera Lawson. Here’s hoping Nancy stays un- 
suspicious of me, and tells me everything." 

Over in the Senior House Vera sat, — with her 
back to the light because her head ached, and one 
high-heeled slipper tapping the floor in quick 
nervous motion, — and listened to Nancy's story. 

Jeanne didn't just Met me talk,'" objected 
Vera crossly. She led me on. And Jane 
Learned planned the whole thing. I suppose 
she's behind your coming here to stop the con- 
sequences of her having tried to make me a general 
laughingrstock." 

Nancy hastened to confute Vera's hypothesis. 

Was that why you wouldn’t speak to Jane, and 
were — rather cool to me and Christina ? " 

Yes," admitted Vera calmly, it was. If 
Jeanne planned the thing herself, I think all the 
295 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


worse of her. But of course one can’t expect good 
taste or high standards of a peasant.” Vera gave 
a disagreeable little laugh. You remember how 
rude she was the day of the archery contest — how 
she put me in an impossible position, and then 
compelled you to second her. Oh, I knew you 
wouldn’t have done such a horrid thing unless 
she’d forced your hand, Nancy. And now I’m 
going to tell you something that will certainly 
make you laugh. But I don’t mind sharing a 
joke with a good friend like you— in confidence, 
of course.” 

Nancy promised, feeling the inexplicable thrill 
of pride that Vera’s flattery seemed always to pro- 
duce, even in those who knew Vera’s glaring faults 
and absurd limitations. 

“ Well, then, as luck will have it, I’ve never 
spoken to a soul of Jeanne’s social position. Not 
because I didn’t fully believe in her, but because 
I didn’t want the rest of the girls to run after her 
just for her money and the family titles. I 
thought it would be a shame to have that sort of 
vulgar fortune-hunting going on here. And see 
how my silence has saved the rest of you from 
absurdity ! Now laugh at me, Nancy, for being 
so gullible.” 

Nancy smiled wanly and rose to go. “ I don’t 
feel like laughing at anybody to-night, Vera. 

296 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


You^ll explain just what you meant about Jeanne, 
won't you ? And may I ? It won’t be necessary 
to go into details, but — you never meant to hint, 
of course, that Jeanne took the missing money, 
but Jane — you guessed that it was she who asked 
me to come — Jane was afraid that some one else 
might think so.” 

Vera, who had risen too, stood, tall and graceful, 
smiling her patronizing, superior smile down at 
Nancy. Possibly Jane is among those who 
might think so,” she suggested coldly. **Jane 
seems to be a very clever person, if her friends are 
good judges. Come again, Nancy, when we can 
talk about something amusing. Or take me 
canoeing to-morrow. I’m getting quite senti- 
mental about the lake and the campus and the 
village, that I probably shall never see again after 
next week.” 

As Nancy went out, she stooped to pick up an 
envelope from the floor near the door. 

Vera thanked her. Take it along,” she urged 
jocosely. It’s only another bill. I get nothing 
but bills in my mail nowadays. Pay cash for all 
your fun, and when you’re a senior you’ll be 
happy.” 

Jane had seen Nancy leave the Senior House, 
and was waiting for her under the Crooked Elm. 
She listened carefully to Nancy’s account of her 
297 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


call, and assured her heartily that by acting as 
Jeanne’s defender, she had saved ‘‘oceans of 
fuss.” But inwardly Jane voted the interview a 
failure. 

“ I might have noticed something, if I’d gone,” 
she meditated on the way to the dormitory, “ but 
either Nancy hasn’t a suspicion of what I wanted 
to know, or she’s a splendid bluffer. She answered 
all the plainest questions I dared risk, and she’s 
told me nothing that I hoped to find out.” 

Jane dressed for dinner in a mood of deep de- 
pression. She longed for an understanding person 
to talk things over with. Life looked very bleak 
and lonely, and her thoughts traveled in a dis- 
mal, tangled circle. 

Dinner cheered everybody up. Ice-cream with 
chocolate sauce helped Jane to forget her disap- 
pointments. Nancy was unreasonably relieved to 
notice that Miss Dutton was wearing a new pink 
evening-dress, and that Miss Marshall laughed 
heartily at all the jokes that went round her table. 
And after dinner on the wide piazza that took the 
place of the gym. as a summer rendezvous Miss 
Marshall read them a letter from Mr. Sefton, — 
which, if it was disappointing in some ways, was 
certainly cheering in respect to the great issue : 
Timmy would not be snatched from them “ by 
return parcel post,” as Jane had phrased it. 

298 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 

Mr. Sefton’s letter was brief to the point of curt- 
ness : 

‘‘ Miss Marshall, 

Madam : — 

'' I have never had a child stolen. A sug- 
gestion of an attempt to kidnap my only son, then 
fourteen months old, resulted in the dismissal of 
a trusted nurse. You ask her name : Mary Kaft- 
ery. I believe she went with her husband to 
reside in Michigan. I am unable to furnish her 
address. 

“ Your correspondent in our county seat has 
succeeded in wasting valuable time for both of us. 

“ Yours respectfully, 

Joseph Sefton.^^ 

** If he could see Timmy, he wouldn't be so 
snippy, I guess." 

Or if he knew Miss Marshall ! " 

Well, her time is valuable and this Sefton 
business seems to have been a silly clue." 

How do you suppose that lawyer thought 
Timmy came into the Sefton case? " 

In his second letter, — the one Miss Marshall 
mentioned but didn’t read, — he said he thought 
the servant who was dismissed might help us to 
find Timmy’s family. That’s why Miss Marshall 
asked particularly for her name and address." 

So the eager questions and comments ran from 
group to group, culminating in little Mildred 
299 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Wallace's shrilly pitched : What can you do 
next, please, Miss Marshall ? 

Advertise in Michigan instead of Missouri,^’ 
answered Miss Marshall. “ And mention Mary 
Raftery in the notices. Suppose, Mildred, that 
your rhetoric division convene informally, if Miss 
Cripps will consent to meet with you, — at once, in 
some quiet corner, and furnish me with the ap- 
propriate notice. I want to telegraph it to my 
agent to-night. Why do I hurry ? Well, this 
lovely spring term is nearly over, you see, and if 
Timmy^s parents are to be found soon, I should 
like to have the news in time for Timmy^s guard- 
ians to hear all about it.’^ 

Nancy Lee was in Mildred^s rhetoric division. 
She surprised herself by being able to take a deep 
interest in the Michigan advertisement of Timmy ; 
she even furnished part of the final draft, approved 
by Miss Cripps as being “ terse and logical,’’ and 
by Plain Mary Smith as “ sounding as if it meant 
business and Mary Raftery would certainly write.” 

“ Information wanted in regard to family of 
two-year-old boy stolen last summer in Missouri. 
Mary Raftery will be liberally rewarded for com- 
municating with present possessor of child. Ad- 
dress M., Box 15, Fair Oaks, Mass.” 

So ran the paragraph that Miss Marshall tele- 
graphed to her agent that evening. Fair Oaks 
300 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


breathlessly awaited the result. For Miss Mar- 
shall had agreed to Billy Bray’s suggestion about 
Timmy’s summer : if, after the Michigan advertise- 
ment had run a week, with two days more allowed 
for a reply to reach Fair Oaks, nothing had been 
heard from it, the girls might meet to consider the 
various possibilities open to Timmy, and might 
themselves decide upon a temporary home for him. 
It was going to be a very exciting business — with 
offers fairly pouring in to choose from. Fair Oaks 
was divided as to which would be more thrilling : 
news from Mary Raftery or a chance to lend ” 
Timmy for the summer. In any case, Fair Oaks 
felt pleasantly important. 

It’s no good being a senior this year,” an- 
nounced Billy Bray, with a grin that belied her 
words. Seniors and their big doings aren’t in it 
with Timmy Lee Marshall.” 

Meantime Timmy’s lost money did not turn up. 
The munificent returns from the Fairy Party were 
banked for him by a much perturbed treasurer, who 
clutched Mrs. Barton’s cheque quite frantically all 
the way to the bank. The treasurer insisted upon 
completing the fund by depositing a smaller cheque, 
duly signed by her father ; and as the days wore 
on it looked as if there was scant prospect of her 
being reimbursed for her loss, which, she protested 
vigorously, she didn’t mind one bit. 

301 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


After a day or two of fruitless investigation, 
Miss Marshall took the course that Jane had fore- 
seen, and announced the theft in a speech that 
made every girl who heard it think of all the little 
mean or dishonorable things she had ever done, 
and resolve to try to live up to Miss MarshalFs 
high standard of truth and honor hereafter. For 
no one would steal money. Miss Marshall said, who 
hadn't begun by stealing other things : time that 
belonged to study, praise that had not been fairly 
won, pleasures that were too expensive. At this 
last phrase several seniors exchanged abashed 
glances ; for Vera Lawson was not the only one 
who was getting more bills than she wanted from 
the Fair Oaks shops. 

“ If you don't pay your parents a fair equivalent 
for their kindness and sacrifice in educating you, 
by trying to be educated," Miss Marshall went on, 
“ if you don't tell the truth in little matters, if you 
spend beyond your allowances, you are leading up 
to a bigger, worse sort of dishonesty. I hope that 
if any one among us can explain this matter, and 
so blot out the disgrace that now hangs over the 
school, she will act the noble part — give herself a 
chance to be, from this day on, the fine, high- 
minded woman that every one of you, no matter 
how you have spoiled or wasted your chances so 
far in life, has still the full capacity to be." 

302 


TROUBLOUS TIMES 


There was a long, strained silence. “ I shall be 
in my office all the afternoon, said Miss Marshall 
in a dull, tired voice ; but there was no response to 
her final plea. A day or two later she announced 
to Nancy and the Collection Committee that she 
had done all she could, and Nancy once more 
stoutly refused the Committee’s offer to help re- 
place the money. 

That’s over,” said Jane, as she and Nancy and 
Christina went off to secure the canoe that Mildred 
Wallace had promised to hold for them. 

Yes, and we’ve forgotten our boat-cushions,” 
said Christina. You two go along and I’ll run 
back for them. I want a hat too.” 

“ Who cares for a little sunburn ? ” said Jane 
loftily. “ Not I, and N. Lee doesn’t burn, lucky 
lady ! But we’ll wait for you, Christina darling, 
at the wharf.” 

Let’s swap secrets,” said Jane, when Christina 
had gone. “ If you’ll tell me fair and square where 
you think that money went. I’ll tell you what I 
think.” 

All right,” said Nancy carelessly. I think 
some stranger stole it. I can’t believe it was any 
other way — I don’t want to know it, if it was.” 

Jane looked frightened. I’d better not tell 
you what I think,” she said. I’d forgotten how 
you feel.” 


303 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ Go ahead, Jaiie,’^ said Nancy, too light-hearted 
because the episode was closed, to consider what 
she was saying. 

Well, then, I think Vera Lawson took that 
money. Oh, I know she’s supposed to be made of 
money herself ; but she spends it like water, and if 
her father has any sense, — which he probably has, 
— he must object. She’s got a lot of bills to pay 

just now, and seeing that money, she Oh, it 

doesn’t sound reasonable, does it ? And once be- 
fore, — about the crew business, — I suspected her 
unjustly and made you unhappy. I don’t like 
Vera, and I don’t trust her. I think she meant to 
throw suspicion on Jeanne. But that’s no argu- 
ment. Personal feelings don’t count in a thing of 
this kind. Oh, N. Lee, don’t look so shocked ! 
It’s a good thing I confided my theory to you, be- 
cause now I see what piffle it is. I discard it I I 
disown it I Smile, N. Lee, and forget it — every 
word. So will I. You’re a lovely comfortable 
Triangler, Nancy dear.” 

“ Why is she lovely and comfortable, Jane? ” de- 
manded Christina, appearing behind a huge armful 
of pillows. Of course I know she is, but why ? ” 

“ Because she smiles when I talk,” said Jane, 
tacking all the pillows under one long arm. She 
smiles and forgets it, don’t you, N. Lee? And 
that’s true friendship.” 


304 


CHAPTER XVIII 


THE GREAT DECISION 

In spite of Vera Lawson’s rather ungracious 
denial of the rumor about Jeanne Durand’s un- 
truthfulness, in spite even of Jane Learned’s 
“ genius for spreading things/’ which she em- 
ployed generously in Jeanne’s behalf — and in spite 
of Nancy’s and Christina’s and other girls’ earnest 
defense of the little stranger, there remained an 
undercurrent of feeling against her in Fair Oaks 
School. 

If she didn’t take the money, who did ? All 
the servants are trustworthy ; they’ve been here for 
years, and this is the first robbery in the history of 
the school.” So ran the trend of public opinion. 

Part of that is a mistake,” asserted Lloyd Mal- 
lory calmly. “ I lost ten dollars early in this 
term. I’d been leaving my money around in a 
bureau drawer all the year, but Miss Dutton told 
me I shouldn’t. When I went to get it out the 
next day, to take it to a bank, as Miss Dutton ad- 
vised, it wasn’t all there.” 

“ And you never told ? ” asked Mildred Wallace 
wonderingly. 


305 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


“ No/’ said Lloyd, “ I thought, — as Nancy does 
about this robbery, — that I was to blame and 
ought to stand the loss. I see now that I owed it 
to others, if not to myself, to speak.” 

“ Did many people know about the money’s 
being there ? ” asked Margaret Lewis. 

Yes, a good many. You see it seemed so queer 
to me to lock money away — we never lock up any- 
thing out at the ranch — that I asked Kittie if it 
was customary to put comparatively small sums in 
the bank. Kittie asked me how long I’d had it 
around and why I hadn’t spent it instead of keep- 
ing it so long ; and she thought it was I who was 
queer — not Miss Dutton. So she spoke of it, and 
between us we discussed it a good deal.” 

Yes, we did,” agreed Kittie Westervelt. Any 
girl here might have heard of it. And that was 
this term too. Two robberies since — in one term,” 
ended Kittie, making her quick change of phras- 
ing in response to a ferocious glance from Jane. 

But smothering public opinion doesn’t alter it. 
The only thing to do was to be kind to Jeanne, 
who could not help noticing the general coolness, 
and who clung pathetically, but in tactful silence, 
to her circle of defenders ; and to hope that, if she 
came back in the fall, the trouble would be forgot- 
ten, and, if she went at once to teaching, it would 
not follow her. 


306 


THE GREAT DECISION 


Meanwhile there was Timmy to look after, when 
the crowded schedule of the baby-tending course 
gave you a turn. There were the mails to watch 
for, each fraught with a possible letter from 
Michigan and Mrs. Raftery. And there were the 
“ possibilities to hear and to discuss ; for, though 
no mail brought Timmy news from his missing 
family, his wide choice of summer homes might 
have been envied by many babies who had never 
been stolen and then tumbled, by accident, into the 
midst of a girls^ boarding-school. 

The days crept slowly on until they made the week 
that Miss Marshall had fixed upon as a time limit. 
Still no answer from the Michigan advertisements. 

I hate to have that lovely ad. wasted,’’ sighed 
Jane, but anyhow we had the fun of writing it, 
and a baby-auction will be simply great.” 

Jane ! ” protested little Christina. You talk 
as if we meant to sell sweet little Timmy Lee.” 

Well, don’t we ? ” teased Jane. The best bid 
bu37s him — for the summer and perhaps longer, if 
terms are found to be mutually satisfactory. The 
best substitute-* for home-and-mother that applies 
gets the finest baby going. What’s that but a near- 
auction, may I inquire ? ” 

The first day of grace allowed for a letter to 
reach Miss Marshall passed with no more exciting 
incident than the winning of the return match in 

307 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


archery by Fair Oaks. But Vera did not compete, 
pleading a lame wrist as her excuse. She made a 
charming spectator, monopolizing the male onlook- 
ers and flirting with Tom Grant so outrageously 
that Miss Dutton, most lenient of chaperons, firmly 
attached herself to Vera, — who made the pretty 
little teacher as uncomfortable as she dared. 

The last day of grace passed with no excitement 
whatever, unless you counted Christina Learned^s 
having secured an unprecedented perfect on the 
term’s algebra test. 

That night at dinner Miss Marshall announced 
the returns,” or rather the absence of any — and 
appointed an Assembly under the Crooked Elm at 
four on the following afternoon, in charge of a 
managing committee of the girls, to plan for 
Timmy’s future. 

It was a perfect afternoon. Down by the lake 
Timmy frolicked in a patch of sunshine, shep- 
herded by the doting, sorrowful Mary Ann. Mary 
Ann had begged her dear lady” to take the 
baby to ‘‘ Seldom Inn,” where they were to spend 
part, at least, of the summer. 

I’ll be that lonesome out there in the forest,” 
sighed Mary Ann. '‘An’ I’ll be missin’ the child 
so, I’ll be down sick, most likely, and then who’ll 
see after yez? Ye’ll be sick too, and mebbe we’d 
both die out there in the woods by our own silves.” 

308 


THE GREAT DECISION 


But Miss Marshall was deaf to Mary’s pleas and 
unterrified by her threats of “ lavin’ yez,” though 
she valued Mary Ann according to her high 
deserts. Perhaps she felt that an offer from her 
would embarrass the girls in a free choice. Per- 
haps she feared that she lacked what Cook called 
“ a way wid babies.” Perhaps she was afraid that 
Timmy would fall into Bubble Lake. Perhaps — 
and this was Nancy Lee’s secret conviction — she 
was afraid of getting so fond of Timmy Lee 
Marshall that she couldn’t keep her mind on 
Fair Oaks School. Whatever the reason, Miss 
Marshall did not offer to keep Timmy through the 
summer. Mary Ann’s ingratiating hints about 
having him back in the fall she received in smil- 
ing silence. She was used to Mary Ann’s efforts 
to direct her life. 

The committee in charge of the Timmy Auction, 
as Jane had flippantly named it, being headed by 
Nancy Lee, was intent on fair play — first to Timmy, 
whose welfare was paramount to all other consid- 
erations, and then to the various persons who had 
offered a home to the finest baby.” The com- 
mittee, being to a woman crazy about Timmy,” 
assumed a similar eagerness on the part of his 
would-be benefactors. 

“They all want him dreadfully,” Nancy had 
put it, “ and they canT all have him, poor things ! 

309 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Changes aren't good for little children, you see. 
So most of them — all but one, I suppose, — will 
have to be fearfully disappointed." 

Yes," nodded Margaret. Wouldn't it be the 
fairest way to appoint some girl to speak for five 
minutes about each ofier? Impress upon them 
that they must state the case just as strongly and 
just as fairly as they can. They must look at all 
sides and tell us exactly how it is. Because we all 
want to do the best thing for Timmy, regardless of 
any one’s disappointment." 

“ Of course," agreed Nancy, thinking uncom- 
fortably of one particular offer, which had been 
made to her personally. I just can’t tell her that 
she can’t have him," thought Nancy sadly. “ Well, 
maybe she’ll get him," she encouraged herself, and 
thereat appointed Lloyd Mallory to represent Mrs. 
Barton in a five-minute speech. Lloyd wasn’t 
eloquent like Margaret, nor clever and telling like 
Jane, but she could be counted upon to rise to an 
occasion, and she knew and dearly loved the 
Princess. She had seen the Castle. She could 
appreciate what a little child’s life there would be, 
made happy by every pleasure and luxury attaina- 
ble, and best of all by companionship with the 
Princess’s merry heart and delicate fancy. It 
would be a sort of enchanted, fairy summer for 
Timmy, Nancy thought, if the Princess '‘got’’ 
310 


THE GREAT DECISION 


him. Of course, she was a frail little Princess ; 
but her prolonged illness or absence would not 
interfere in the least with Timmy’s essential safety 
or comfort. There would be the most reliable of 
nurses and servitors, — and there would be Dr. 
Jim. Of course Dr. Jim had also made an offer 
for Timmy ; but if the Princess got ” him, her 
friend the Ogre would not let jealousy or disap- 
pointment affect his kindly oversight of the 
Princess and the Castle, or of his fond care of 
Timmy Lee Marshall. 

‘‘Besides, he wouldn’t be so very disappointed,” 
reflected Nancy ; “ if he had Timmy, he’s too busy 
to see him very much. He’d probably send him 
and Nurse Boyne out to his farm to stay with Rob 
and Commander, and he’d go up for a day or two 
once in several weeks.” 

Margaret Lewis was to speak in Dr. Jim’s 
behalf Billy Bray and Carlene Marbury had 
promised to state two other offers, one from a 
friend of Mrs. Grant’s, who wanted to adopt a 
baby boy, and one from an adoring schoolmate of 
Miss Marshall’s, whose idea seemed to be to get 
Timmy off her idol’s overfull hands. Nancy, to 
her horror, found that as chairman of the com- 
mittee on the Timmy Auction, she was expected 
to preside over the affair. 

“ Well,” she sighed, having at last yielded the 

311 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


point, I don't mind so much, because there's so 
little of this term left, and I don't suppose there'll 
ever be much more that we can do for Timmy. Of 
course he's sort of my baby. But next term I hope 
that whoever has an excitement drop down on her 
head, as Jane says, it won’t be I. It's too much of 
a responsibility afterward." 

Responsibility is good for you. Miss I-Forgot," 
retorted Jane. “ And you'll probably keep right 
on having adventures. Carelessness attracts excite- 
ment. Careful people get out of the way when 
they see an excitement about to drop, — and miss 
half the fun of life in consequence. That's why 
excitements hit you, N. Lee, — not because you de- 
serve 'em." 

The Timmy Auction was an orderly and serious 
gathering. The seniors were serious because they 
were so near to the good-byes that count. The rest 
were inspired by Miss Marshall’s speech, still fresh 
in their minds and emphasized by Nancy's plea 
that this was a chance'to show that Miss Marshall 
hasn't been mistaken in trusting us with Timmy." 

We're supposed to learn how to think here," 
said Nancy solemnly, especially in argument 
classes. I hope none of the speakers will forget to 
make fair concessions. For the benefit of the 
younger girls who haven’t had argument yet. I'll 
explain that. It means that if your case has a 
312 


THE GREAT DECISION 


weakness, you’d better admit it, and then show, if 
you can, that it doesn’t count as much against 
your case as some people might think. The girls 
who are to speak to us to-day have looked up their 
arguments carefully, and consulted Miss Marshall 
and Miss Cripps. They are going to try to make 
us see the advantages of each offer, so we can de- 
cide fairly ; but they must also state the disadvan- 
tages, or we can’t decide fairly for Timmy. Now, 
Billy — I mean Miss Bray — will you speak first ? 
You must confine yourselves to five minutes, please. 
After the last speech there will be an open discus- 
sion, speakers limited to two minutes. Then Miss 
Marshall will give us a few suggestions. And then 
comes the vote. Now, Billy — Miss Bray.” Nancy 
dropped blushingly on to the rustic bench which 
was the chair ” that afternoon. 

Billy Bray spoke earnestly of the splendid home 
Mrs. Grant’s friend could give Timmy, and of her 
sweet, motherly way ; but the concession that 
Billy was forced to make practically threw her case 
out of court. The baby must be given uncondi- 
tionally for permanent adoption. This, with even 
a faint possibility that Timmy’s real family would 
appear to claim him, was clearly beyond the power 
of Timmy’s self-constituted guardians to promise. 

Carlene Marbury came next. Miss Marshall’s 
friend would do all in her power for the baby until 

313 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


noon of September twenty-first, at which hour she 
expected to leave her house to take a train for Bos- 
ton and a boat for Naples. 

Goodness, she must be a prunes-and-prisms ! '' 
sighed Jane softly. “ Fancy planning things as 
close as all that ! I’ll bet no excitement ever 
dropped on her head.” 

She’d be regular about Timmy’s meals and nap 
and bedtime,” suggested Christina, and maybe a 
baby like Timmy would stir her up and make her 
more ” 

<A]\iore human,” suggested Margaret, who was 
sitting with the twins on the grass near Nancy’s 
seat. 

“ I’d like to see her picture before we decide,” 
said Jane. “Would you dare ask Miss Marshall 
for one ? ” 

“ I’m afraid not,” said Margaret, scrambling to 
her feet, “ but maybe she’ll paint her picture for 
you in words, when she advises us.” 

Margaret took Jane’s wish as the suggestion for 
her opening argument. The two ladies who had 
been spoken for were strangers ; Dr. Jim was a fa- 
miliar figure at Fair Oaks. Mary Smith knew 
best how nice he was — but Mary (the poor girl was 
blushing furiously) didn’t like to praise him in 
public. Jane Learned knew too, and Nancy Lee, 
and Kittie Westervelt, and Vera Lawson, not to 

314 


THE GREAT DECISION 


mention Miss Dutton. But the committee had 
preferred to entrust his cause to a dispassionate 
person, whom no one could accuse of being unduly 
influenced by motor-car journeys in pursuit of tea 
with trimmings. Dr. James — Margaret grew sud- 
denly more formal and more serious — had offered 
to send Timmy, under proper supervision — and no 
one was a better judge of what a baby needed than 
he — to his farm in the Berkshires. In the fall, if 
no legal claimants appeared. Dr. James would 
make another offer, based on any new conditions 
that might then arise. Other things being equal, 
he was ready to assume full responsibility for 
Timmy^s up-bringing and education until he had 
attained his majority. 

Nineteen years,^' sighed Jane. “ That^s a lot 
to promise, but Dr. Jim is good for it. In nine- 
teen years I’ll be a frumpy old maid.” 

Sh I ” whispered Christina indignantly. “ Mar- 
garet’s going to concede.” 

The only possible disadvantage that I have 
been able to see in Dr. James’s offer,” announced 
Margaret, with a twinkle, is that he’s a man and 
unmarried. If you think Timmy needs a mother 
more than a father, why, you may decide to reject 
this offer, unless ” 

And Margaret sat down amid a burst of applause 
and laughter, having cleverly indicated an inter- 

315 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


esting possibility in the career of Dr. James, 
without having actually said anything that even 
Miss Cripps could definitely object to. 

A little frightened by the fact that Margaret 
had made a real speech and been applauded so 
noisily, Lloyd rose to talk for the Princess. Her 
dark eyes flamed with eagerness and her face 
burned under its tan as she looked at the sea of 
faces and awoke to her responsibility. Fortu- 
nately she had learned the opening sentences, on 
the advice of wise Jane Learned, and in a minute 
they came back to her. 

Mrs. Carlton, Dr. James, and the rest will each 
give Timmy a good home. So will Mrs. Barton, 
— and she needs him. She is our friend, like Dr. 
Jim. One of us thinks of her as a fairy Princess, 
and all of us can see the appropriateness of the 
title. And who wouldn’t love to spend the sum- 
mer with a fairy Princess, in an Enchanted Castle, 
with Enchanted Gardens around it ? ” 

Nancy gulped with joy because Lloyd was keep- 
ing the girls so quiet. 

Lloyd went on to speak of Mrs. Barton’s loneli- 
ness and of what Timmy would mean to her in 
the way of comfort. “ I thought the other day that 
I’d ask father to let me take Timmy,” said Lloyd 
simply, ''but when I found that Mrs. Barton 
wanted him, I felt that there was the place for him.” 
316 


THE GREAT DECISION 


Mrs. Barton, like Dr. James, Lloyd explained 
in concluding, was ready to adopt Timmy when 
the proper time came, and to educate him for any 
career he might choose, 

‘‘And the only concession I can think of,’^ 
Lloyd added, growing suddenly shy and incoher- 
ent as the crisis she had risen to passed, “ is some- 
thing like Margaret’s — only it’s just the opposite. 
If Mrs. Barton takes Timmy, he won’t have a 
father’s care.” 

The hush that lasted after Lloyd sat down was 
as true a tribute as Margaret’s applause. It was a 
thoughtful silence ; the question was clearly be- 
tween Mrs. Barton’s offer and Dr. Jim’s, and the 
balance swung between them, wavering this way 
and that as the hot discussion that followed the 
pause favored one or another of the claimants. 

The chair had to “ call time ” on Mildred Wal- 
lace, and to refuse Jane Learned her third chance 
to speak ; otherwise the debate would never have 
ended. 

And yet Jane’s first and briefest speech summar- 
ized the issue completely. “ The question,” Jane 
announced, “ is this : Can Timmy get along with- 
out a mother best, or without a father? We all 
know how lovely mothers are,” — here Jane caught 
sight of Margaret’s wistful face, and added quickly, 
— “ or we have known so well that we shan’t ever 

317 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


forget. And we also appreciate our fathers. They 
say girls usually care more for fathers, and boys 
for mothers. But the Princess would be a pretty 
easy-going mother, and Timmy is awfully wilful, 
if he is only two. He^s likely to be a handful, 
and motherless boys that are handfuls are as 
bad, generally, as fatherless ones. So there you 
are ! 

Miss Marshall, in a very short speech, refused to 
throw her influence to either side of the debate. 
She complimented the girls on having emphasized 
the points at issue so clearly, and advised a secret 
ballot, to be delivered down by the boat-house, so 
that each girl might vote sincerely and not as her 
neighbors advised. 

The result of the ballot was a tie. It was sug- 
gested that the teachers should cast deciding votes 
— as Miss Marshall declined to accept the whole 
responsibility of a choice. Nobody noticed, until 
after the extra ballots had been cast, that there 
was an even number of teachers present. The 
vote was still a tie. It was suggested that Mary 
Ann cast the deciding vote ; but this plan was 
abandoned because it would offend Cook, and also 
because Mary Ann had not heard the arguments. 

By this time the afternoon was gone, the dress- 
ing-gong had rung to empty corridors, and dinner 
would be waiting in a minute. 

318 


THE GREAT DECISION 


Can’t we put the matter on the table ? ” asked 
Carlene Marbury. 

'' What table ? ” demanded Christina audibly, 
before Jane could interfere. 

Is that a motion ? ” 

When shall we finish the Timmy Auction?” 

“We can tell the defeated candidates the sad 
news right away.” 

“ And what shall we tell the successful rivals? 
They thought it was to be decided to-day.” 

“ Something may turn up to settle matters. But 
it can’t I You just can’t decide between fathers 
and mothers.” 

“ Well, we’ve got to eat dinner now.” 

Plain Mary and Margaret promised to cooperate 
in a letter to Dr. Jim ; and Nancy and Lloyd went 
to see the Princess. 

“ Was it between Dr. Jim and me ? ” she said, 
when the girls had broken the news gently and the 
Princess had insisted upon full details of the meet- 
ing. “ How — how funny ! I mean I don’t wonder 
you couldn’t decide. No, I mean why didn’t you 
give him to Dr. Jim ? Why, of course I’m not 
hurt or disappointed, Nancy dear ! I’m — oh, I 
did want him ! But perhaps Dr. Jim wants him 
more. Big, splendid men like Dr. Jim want things 
hard. And — you’d better give him to Dr. Jim.” 

Somehow, though she looked very small and 

319 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


young and pathetic in her black dress, the 
Princess did not give the impression of being 
heart-broken about Timmy. Indeed she seemed 
to be very happy to-day in her odd, fairylike 
way. 

“ I shouldn't have known how to take care of 
him," she said, to comfort the girls more than her- 
self, apparently. You know I didn't know how 
to hold Prince Charming at first. But I learned. 
I did want to learn to take care of Timmy. My 
little baby — I never learned then. My husband 
always wanted me to travel about with him. And 
traveling doesn't do for babies." 

Oh, no ! " chorused the girls. 

“ It's too exciting," added Lloyd. 

“ And you can't always get the right things for 
them to eat," contributed Nancy wisely. 

But I meant to care for Timmy myself. No- 
body wants me to rush about now. I But I'd 

rather — truly I would ! — that Dr. Jim had him." 

The next morning before breakfast. Plain Mary 
Smith received a telegram from her guardian, who 
had made his offer regarding Timmy through her. 
“ Offer absolutely and finally withdrawn. Mrs. 
Barton should have Timmy. I cannot think of 
competing with her. Thanks for writing me so 
fully. Shall be up next week." 

“ Aren't they dear about it ? " said Nancy. 

320 


THE GREAT DECISION 


They both want him so much that each is sorry 
for the other one.’’ 

I’m going to suggest at the next meeting,” said 
Mildred Wallace, who was the Princess’s partisan, 
“ that we give him to Mrs. Barton for the summer. 
A father won’t count much while he’s so little.” 

Humph I ” sniffed Jane, who was the Ogre’s 
partisan, — half-heartedly because she loved the 
Princess too. Neither does a mother count 
specially while he’s so little. He can get along 
without a temporary mother, but he’ll need a 
permanent one.” 

I suppose he needs a permanent father just as 
much,” sighed Mildred. “ So how are we to settle 
it?” 

Oh, don’t worry I ” advised Jane. It will set- 
tle itself. Things that you can’t settle always do.” 

This discussion took place on the campus, and 
Jane, turning away to go to the archery field, al- 
most ran down her friend Miss Cripps. 

We’re talking about Timmy so hard that I never 
looked where I was going,” Jane apologized cheer- 
fully. 

Miss Cripps was also going toward the archery 
field to find Miss MacPherson. He’s a dear 
baby,” she said. Do you know — I — of course it 
was quite absurd, but I actually wanted to take 
him— just for the summer. My sisters persuaded 
321 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

me that I needed a complete rest. That’s absurd 
too, but I couldn’t give Timmy the advantages 
that Mrs. Barton or Dr. James can, so I gladly 
yield to them. But Timmy has made me hungry 
to do for children near at hand, that you can go 
to visit, and talk to, and play with, and love. I 
— I’m thinking of changing my Labrador charity 
for one among the poor of Boston.” 

Don’t give them red flannel petticoats,” burst 
out Jane. That is, I mean, Boston isn’t as cold 
as Labrador, is it. Miss Cripps ? ” 

It’s nearer,” said Miss Cripps simply. 

Jane abandoned her intention of taking part in 
the afternoon’s archery contest to rush off and tell 
all her friends that Crippsy had thrown over the 
poor of Labrador and was going slumming in Bos- 
ton.” 

“ No news from Michigan, I suppose ? ” she 
asked Nancy and Christina, who had been in to 
speak to Miss Marshall about a final bungalow- 
party for everybody, that the girls all wanted. 
Nancy and Christina wanted Timmy to go to the 
party ; they feared that he missed the rustic life 
he had led in the woods with the kidnappers’ 
caravan. 

I haven’t heard of any,” said Nancy sadly. 
“Jane, I don’t see how we’re to settle about 
Timmy. If change wasn’t so bad for young chil- 
322 


THE GREAT DECISION 


dren we could divide him up — July with one, 
August with the other/’ 

And the rest of his life with the one he liked 
best,” cut in Jane joyously. 

“ The trouble is he likes everybody best — when 
he sees them,” complained Christina, ungrammat- 
ical but to the point. 

It’s a puzzle,” said Jane. I say, girls, here’s 
a dandy chance for the W. W.’s to get busy. Let’s 
round them up and set them at it. Nothing but 
a real Wonder will settle the Timmy business so 
that we’re all happy.” 

The W. W.’s can’t do anything,” said Nancy 
Lee, “ but perhaps it will cheer up Jeanne to have 
us hunt for her, and Grace will like to mull over 
Jane’s silly idea about wonder-working, and try to 
puzzle out what it means. Sarah will ask a mil- 
lion questions, so let’s leave her out for just this 
once. She’s perfectly happy playing with the 
squirrels.” 

And she’s only a baby herself,” said Jane. 

She certainly works Wonders on squirrels, but 
she wouldn’t understand this muddle.” 

Do you know,” began Nancy solemnly, “ I 
almost wish that Mary Raftery would telegraph 
for Timmy to come at once, by parcel post.” 

'' We couldn’t trust you to do him up properly. 
Miss I-Forgot,” taunted Jane. 

323 


CHAPTER XIX 


A BOY AND A DOG 

On a lovely June morning, while the summer 
arrangements for Timmy were still in abeyance, 
and at the hour when the Fair Oaks girls were all 
at chapel, — except Vera Lawson, who had reported 
a headache, and Plain Mary Smith, who had 
tumbled down-stairs on her way to chapel and gone 
back to bathe and bandage a damaged wrist, — a 
boy and a dog came briskly up Holly Road. They 
hesitated doubtfully at the school gate and then, 
both looking interestedly about them, slowly 
crossed the campus toward the dormitory. The dog 
went slowly because he was occupied in watching 
Sarah’s squirrels. The boy did not notice the 
squirrels ; his lagging feet seemed weighted with 
the thought of what he must say and do when he 
reached the door ahead of him. 

He was a nice boy. Vera Lawson, if she had 
happened to look out her window, would have 
found him rather shabby, and objected to his 
hands, which showed marks of hard, rough work. 
Plain Mary, who, under Dr. Jim’s kindly tutelage, 
324 


A BOY AND A DOG 


was learning to think an erect carriage quite as 
important as a slender figure, would have frowned 
at his narrow chest and stooped shoulders. And 
yet there was the glow of health on his thin cheeks, 
and there was a happy light in his eyes, in spite 
of the intent, almost grim set of his lips. Jane 
Learned would have remarked that mouth, finding 
it good-humored beneath its grimness. No silly 
quarrels for him,” Jane would have said. Margaret 
Lewis would have compared him to little Sarah 
Williston, — too old and too serious for his years ; 
and Nancy Lee would have bestowed at least half 
her attention on the dog, trying to act old and 
staid and respectable and not succeeding at all be- 
cause of those teasing squirrels. 

I^m glad he’s got such a nice dog to frisk along 
with him,” Nancy would have said. 

But nobody saw the young-old boy and the old- 
young dog, as they came up the drive together. 

Lie down, nice fellow,” said the boy at the foot 
of the steps, pointing sternly to a sunny spot of 
grass. 

The nice fellow ” barked once sadly, and 
jumped up to lick his master’s hands. 

Lie down, sir,” commanded the boy sternly. 

With an impish canine smile on his face, the 
dog trotted off after a particularly saucy squirrel. 

Lie down, sir,” repeated the boy in a low, de- 

325 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


termined voice that brought the dog running back 
to snuggle obediently down at his master’s feet. 

The boy stooped and patted his dog’s pinkish- 
white forehead. Lie still, old fellow, till I come,” 
he said, and went on up the steps. 

‘‘ May I see Miss Marshall ? No, I have no card, 
nor do I know her, but my business is urgent — to 
her as well as to me.” 

The new parlor-maid left him in the pink-and- 
gold reception room, while she went to speak to 
Miss Marshall. As she could not, of course, inter- 
rupt the chapel service, she took time to go via the 
kitchen, and to tell Mary Ann and Cook that she 
guessed they’d lose Timmy now. When she had 
gone, followed by the well-feigned scorn of Timmy’s 
adorers, Mary Ann slipped up to reconnoiter. 

Um,” she reported to Cook. ‘‘ ’Tis only a slip 
of a lad, come to make love to some silly young 
gal, maybe. ’Tis not Timmy he’s doin’ business 
for, an’ that new maid ain’t got proper sense, to 
think as much.” In which conclusions Mary Ann 
was later justified. 

The new parlor-maid came back presently and 
took the boy to Miss Marshall’s oflSce, where he 
sat, huddled in a corner that was not visible from 
the half-open door, growing every minute more 
anxious about his errand. 

Once a canine yelp from the campus made him 
326 


A BOr AND A DOG 


start nervously, but when he stood up to investi- 
gate he discovered that he could see the entrance 
through the window, — and his dog, not yelping 
but decorously pretending to be asleep in the sun. 
He smiled wanly then. There were girls outside 
the door, but the boy^s only interest in them 
seemed to lie in keeping out of their sight. Once 
a scrap of the conversation that floated in brought 
him to eager attention. 

Headache, said somebody. 

Who ? '' asked a pretty, low voice. Oh, Vera 
Lawson ! Vera^s always done up nowadays — al- 
ways in the dumps.’^ 

“ And cross ! ’’ added a shrill voice emphatically. 
“ Snapping turtles have nothing on our Vera.^^ 

Sh ! broke in a third voice. “ The office 
door^s open. Besides, Vera's ill ; I'm sure she is. 
Nerves, you know. They always make people 
cross. Vera's naturally as sweet a girl as I ever 
knew." 

They talked about a picnic next, at a place oddly 
named “Seldom Inn," but the boy was not inter- 
ested in picnics. He sat with his eye on the closed 
door of the inner office, wishing — desperately wish- 
ing — that he could “ get this over and go." 

An hour later Miss Marshall came rushing out 
and frowned in annoyed surprise when she saw 
the strange boy. 


327 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

I^m sorry I forgot you,’^ she said. That new 
maid didn't leave your card where I should surely 
see it. Could one of my assistants — I'm very busy. 
Do I know you? " 

The boy had risen quickly. Straightening his 
stooped shoulders, he faced Miss Marshall proudly 
across the empty office. “ What I have to say is 
very short. I'm Vera Lawson's brother Robert. 
Vera wrote me of some trouble she was in." With 
a courtly gesture he asked permission to close the 
door, and then pulled forward a chair for Miss 
Marshall, who, with a bewildered Vera ? In 
trouble ? " sank into it. 

I was afraid she wouldn't have told you," 
sighed the boy. “ Not that she hasn't meant to," 
he added loyally, but I suppose it's harder for 
girls to own up to things." 

Miss Marshall nodded. 

“ I won't keep you waiting," he hurried on. 

Vera took some money — approximately fifty 
dollars, I believe it was — from another girl's room. 
I've come to pay it back " — he dropped a roll of 
bills into Miss Marshall's lap — “ and to ask you not 
to blame Vera too much. Miss Marshall. She 
wanted to return the money the minute she'd 
taken it, but she was afraid of being seen. She's 
been miserable ever since. She wrote me the very 
night it happened, and I advised her to go straight 
328 


A BOY AND A DOG 


to you. But when she wrote again, saying in 
rather a queer way that the matter had blown 
over, I wrote back — and then I thought I’d better 
just come.” The boy straightened proudly. I’m 
a year younger than Vera, but I’ve always looked 
out for her,” he explained. “ Maybe I’ve looked 
out for her too much ; but you see. Miss Marshall, 
I never thought that our lives would change as 
they have this year. I’m not sure that you know 
of my father’s — failure.” The boy hesitated over 
the word, and looked appealingly at Miss Mar- 
shall. 

Vera took the money that Nancy Lee had in 
charge — the girls’ collection for their baby ? ” she 
demanded breathlessly. I — can’t believe it.” 

Of course not,” said the boy simply. “ Vera 
is as straight and as true as — as any one. But this 
spring, for the first time in her life, she’s been 
scrimped and pinched for money. She had run 
up a lot of bills before — the smash. She found for 
the first time that money couldn’t be had for the 
asking, and — oh, I’m not making you understand. 
I don’t believe I understand myself.” 

“ No,” said Miss Marshall, wearily. But — go 

on, please.” 

It’s pretty hard, I suppose, for a girl to have 
to stand up to poverty — and — and disgrace,” said 
the boy. “ My father — we needn’t go into that, 
329 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


need we ? ” he begged pathetically, and Miss Mar- 
shall nodded swift agreement. 

And then it^s been so sudden,’’ the boy went 
on, with a grateful glance. My mother has been 
splendid. We’ve tried — she and I — to make it as 
easy as we could for the others. We told Vera to 
come back and finish her year, and we’ve given 
her the same to spend as usual, because — we wanted 
to have her last term here happy. When I was in 
the hospital — I’ve been ill, you see, on top of every- 
thing — I couldn’t write her, and — well, she took 
the money. Miss Marshall. I’m returning it for 
her, and — could I see her ? ” 

There was an imperious knock on the door, and 
Miss Marshall opened it upon Vera Lawson. The 
boy sprang forward to meet her. 

‘‘ I was just asking for you. Sister Ann,” he cried 
joyously. 

“ Nancy Lee guessed that you were here,” said 
Vera, smiling her softest smile at him. ‘‘ Some- 
how she knew about your dog, and she saw the 
name on his collar.” 

The boy glanced out of the window anxiously. 
Commander was still lying in the sun, with only a 
wriggling tail to indicate that the owner of the 
white skirt whisking out of sight to an algebra class 
had been patting him in the way any dog loves. 

I didn’t have to sell him,” he said swiftly to 
330 



THE BOY SPRANG FORWARD 




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A BO r AND A DOG 


his sister. '' Dr. Jim — I had to tell him a bit 
about my running off to see you — and he wouldn’t 
let me sell Commander. He insisted that I’d 
earned thirty dollars in wages for my farm work, 
and the rest he advanced me. He’s splendid, 

Vera ! How can we ” 

Vera turned swiftly to Miss Marshall. I may 
as well say good-bye,” she said. Rob’s told you, 
evidently. I can go home at eleven with Rob, 
and Billy Bray will pack my things to be sent 
after me. Oh, please don’t look at me like that I ” 
She turned to her brother. You shouldn’t have 
come here telling tales,” she cried angrily. I 
told you in confidence, and then asked you to 

forget it. And now you’ve ” Vera’s shrill 

voice broke, and dropping into a chair she buried 
her pretty head on her arms. 

And now he’s come, as your best friend would,” 
Miss Marshall took up the story, “ to make things 
right for you — and to make me understand.” 

You don’t ! You couldn’t ! ” muttered Vera 
in a smothered voice. 

Perhaps not wholly, Vera. Perhaps some time 
before you go home next week, after your gradua- 
tion, you will come yourself and tell me just how 
it happened. But Robert has made me under- 
stand one thing : that you can’t give up and run 
away just now. You’ve got to be ready to help 

331 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


your mother and him to face the music. So far 
you’ve tried to muddle along, regardless of the new 
facts that you must meet. But now you’re going 
to start over, and, if I were you, Vera, I’d begin by 
telling your friends exactly how things are.” 

“ You mean I’m to tell them that I’m a thief? ” 
Vera shot at her, and Rob walked over and put a 
comforting hand on his sister’s shoulder. 

Miss Marshall fingered Rob’s bills suggestively. 

The money has been returned,” she said, and I 
think that no one need hear anything more about 
it, except possibly Nancy, who has advanced the 
money ” 

I’ll tell her,” broke in Vera. She’ll under- 
stand — she does foolish impulsive things some- 
times.” 

This was worse than foolish, Vera,” corrected 
Miss Marshall. It was wrong. But I don’t 
know that speaking of it to any one — but Nancy, 
who must be reimbursed with this money — will 
make it any less wrong. And you need the 
chance of starting this new sort of life that will 
begin when you go home next week, with a clean- 
slate. I want to give you this chance because I 
believe in you, Vera. Your brother says he’s tried 

to look out for you ” 

“ Always,” declared Vera in a small, earnest 
voice. 


332 


A BO r AND A DOG 


“ Well, now you’re surely ready to begin looking 
out for him — or helping him look out for the rest. 
He’s been ill, he tells me.” 

“ Just a scratch that I got in a machine,” depre- 
cated Rob. 

And you’re well and strong and ready to 
‘ pitch in,’ as I heard Jane Learned advising some 
one to do this morning. We must consider how 
you can help most when we have our long talk.” 
Miss Marshall hesitated, ‘‘ I may be able to give 
you a little real help,” she added at last. Sup- 
pose you plan to spend the Saturday and Sunday 
after graduation with me at ^ Seldom Inn.’ It’s 
impossible to have real conversations or to think 
real thoughts in the hurly-burly of our last week.” 
Miss Marshall turned with a smile to Rob. You 
must stay for lunch. Have you heard about our 
baby ? I thought Dr. James might have told you. 
Vera, drop classes this morning, and show olF 
Timmy and all our lesser glories — the lake and the 
campus and your friends. Miss Dutton will be 
glad to chaperon an after-luncheon gathering in 
your rooms, so that your brother may see how we 
live here. I’ll give you and any one you want to 
ask a free hour after luncheon. Thomas will drive 
your brother to his train.” 

Vera lifted her bowed head slowly and faced Miss 
Marshall with a wavering, watery smile. “ You’re 
333 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


very kind/^ she said earnestly. I wish I^d come 
to you myself and owned up. I want to own up to 
another thing. I hadn’t a headache this morning. 
But I was worried and frightened and tired. I 
wanted time to think — and I called it a headache.” 

Then you can really enjoy your free morning, 
perhaps,” said Miss Marshall, looking from one to 
the other of the visitors. 

Vera looked at Rob too, half-proud of him and 
half-critical of the shabby coat and the sunburned 
straw hat he had in his hand. 

Rob noticed, and answered her criticism. I’m 
a farmer nowadays, Vera, and I’m afraid I look it. 
I’d better rush off as I had intended.” 

But Vera wouldn’t have that. ‘‘ I want to hear 
all the news from home,” she said, ‘‘ and all yours 
and mother’s plans. I must know them before I 
can arrange my summer — or have our long talk,” 
she added to Miss Marshall. I’ll take you out in 
a canoe, Rob. I’m a very poor paddler, as you 
know, but we can drift mostly.” 

'' We shall miss the canoeing at Hillcrest,” Rob 
told her as they went off. '' It’s been sold at last — 
pretty well, too. I can’t work indoors this summer. 
Dr. Jim says. I might stay on the farm, if you 
were really going home to stay. Was that what 
you meant, Vera ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Vera. 


334 


A BOY AND A DOG 


No cool sea-breezes, no yachting trips, no August 
in the mountains, giving gay house-parties to her 
friends. A big town-house with one incompetent 
maid to keep it running ! Vera^s heart sank be- 
fore the prospect, but if Rob liked being a shabby, 
wage-earning farm-boy as much as his shining eyes 
seemed to indicate, why, he should have his chance. 
It was like stepping nonchalantly into icy water 
up to one’s neck, to say that unconcerned Yes ” ; 
but perhaps new starts were always like that, Vera 
thought. And the having said it and meaning to 
stand by it made the visit to “ Seldom Inn ” seem 
at once less awesome. Among all her blunders and 
sillinesses, her concealments and snobbish decep- 
tions, she would give Miss Marshall one little thing 
to approve of, and thus the visit would be easier for 
them both. 

Dr. Jim would approve too. Vera blushed as 
she thought of his probable opinion of her. 

“Did you really have to tell him, Rob?” she 
demanded wearily. 

Rob nodded. “ He gave me Commander for my 
own dog. But I couldn’t go and sell him without 
explaining. And I couldn’t get the money anyl 
other way that I could think of. He was splendid 
about it, Vera. He said that he knew and liked 
you, and that anyhow he’d do a lot for Mary 
Smith’s friend and my sister ; and he insisted that 
335 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


the work I do is worth even higher wages than he 
paid me. I wish you’d talk to him, Vera, about 
what you’re going to do, now that you’re through 
school. He knows girls who do all sorts of inter- 
esting things to earn their livings, and enjoy it.” 

Everybody liked Vera’s brother, from Timmy, 
who, gurgling with joy, rode on his back all over 
the campus, to Grace Allen, naturally haughty 
and a professed man-hater. And Commander was 
as popular as Rob. Nancy Lee had a splendid frolic 
with him, which made her quite homesick for her 
brother’s collie pup. Dick’s dog, being city-bred, 
did not understand the fine points of chasing 
chickens ; but he chewed up furniture and other 
things in the house a little worse than Commander, 
Nancy declared. This friendly rivalry over their 
pets put Nancy Lee and Vera’s brother at once on 
a footing of pleasant intimacy, and when he drove 
away with Thomas, leaving Vera and a bevy of her 
friends waving him off from the piazza, Nancy felt 
as if she were parting with an old friend. 

It was hard work to go back and study for an 
hour — extra-hard, because that is the only honor- 
able way to pay up for special privileges — and 
matters were further complicated for Nancy and 
several other girls by the spectacle of a messenger- 
boy trotting up the drive in the middle of the 
hour. That meant a letter or a telegram for some- 
336 


A BOY AND A DOG 


body. Was it bad news or good ? And, above all, 
was it something about Timmy ? 

It was a special delivery for Miss Marshall, 
so the girls learned from the obliging Mary Ann, 
as they trooped out to the campus at half-past four. 
And in a minute Miss Dutton appeared, waving it 
in her hand, to summon them all to an informal 
hearing,’^ as she laughingly called it. 

‘‘ IVs really such an odd letter,” she explained, 
that Miss Marshall thought you would like to 
join her at once in guessing over it, and trying to 
imagine why it’s so queer. Here it is : ^ I see you 
have a baby’s family to locate. Is he dark or 
light ? Straight or curly hair ? Pretty or homely ? 
Bright and friendly or not ? Where lost and where 
found, and with what persons ? State what you 
know of his history. 

‘ This correspondence probably won’t amount 
to much for either of us, but I thought I would 
write. No great hurry about replying. 

^ Yours res’py, 

^ Jno. Smith. 

^ Chmp Sixty-Nine, 

‘ R. F. D. 1, Pine Ridge, Mich. 

^ Come to think you might telegraph me a 
night-letter, if convenient, c. o. d., of course. I will 
send a man in to Pine Ridge to bring it out here. 
Mail is slow.’” 


337 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


As Miss Dutton stopped reading there was a 
chorus of excited comment, ranging from, He 
probably doesn’t know anything about Timmy’s 
family, but he wants a chance to adopt a nice 
bright baby,” to, Of course he’s Timmy’s father, 
or he wouldn’t be in such a hurry.” 

“ The queer thing about that letter,” announced 
Jane Learned oracularly, is that the ends don’t 
match. It begins masculine and businesslike, and 
ends excited and feminine. Sh 1 She’s going to 
read something else.” 

The other paper contained Miss Marshall’s 
reply, submitted for the approval of the assembly. 

Coloring fair, hair wavy, bright, very friendly, 
attractive, not handsome ” 

Here a groan of objection was silenced by Mar- 
garet’s explanatory, “ She means his features are 
not classic.” And Miss Dutton went on. Prob- 
ably lost Missouri, found Bubble Lake Station, 
Mass., May last, with woman attached to traveling 
caravan. Named, probably by woman, Timmy. 
Believed by her to be rich Missourian’s son, held 
ten months for ransom. Age about two years. 
Picture follows.” 

‘‘ Which picture ? ” cried all the camera fiends 
in chorus. Timmy had obligingly posed for them 
all, and dozens of ‘‘snaps” of him hung on the 
walls or stood on desks and dressers at Fair Oaks. 
338 


A BOY AND A DOG 


Miss Dutton laughingly explained that Miss 
Marshall wanted them all to submit their most 
artistic and clearest prints for her to choose from, 
and the camera fiends, with airs of vast importance, 
dispersed to do her bidding. 

The rest gravely passed a vote of approval 
upon Miss Marshall’s telegram, after Mildred 
Wallace had suggested amending it by add- 
ing a summarizing, He’s just too cute for any- 
thing,” and been crushingly advised that she 
evidently didn’t understand the diction of tele- 
grams. 

Besides, that doesn’t answer any of John 
Smith’s questions,” added Margaret Lewis, and it 
uses up several words. There are just fifty al- 
ready, and John Smith, who may not be made of 
money, mightn’t care to pay for more.” 

“ Not in his practical, masculine mood,” said 
Jane. But when he’s feeling excited and fem- 
inine, he’d love to hear that Timmy was ^ too cute 
for anything.’ He’d be willing to go without a 
meal to pay for those extra words. Meanwhile 
what and where is Pine Ridge, Michigan, and what 
sort of thing is Camp Sixty-Nine ? ” 

Diligent study of the map of Michigan in the 
school’s largest atlas revealed the facts that Pine 
Ridge was a town of six hundred population, not 
very far south of Saginaw, on a railroad line. 

339 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Hasty consultation of the atlas’s account of Michi- 
gan’s industries established the probability that 
John Smith was in the lumber business, — in 
exactly what capacity it was impossible to decide to 
the general satisfaction. Lloyd hoped he wasn’t a 
chopper, because chopping down beautiful forests 
must make men cruel. Billy Bray, scrutinizing 
the handwriting of the letter, declared he didn’t 
work with his hands ; the writing was too neat and 
painstaking for an athlete’s or a woodsman’s. 
Somebody else thought he might be a government 
forester. It was finally agreed that, if he could 
send a man to the railroad, he must be in a fairly 
important post ; and he was accordingly referred to 
as the Boss ” or “ Boss Smith,” as more pictur- 
esque and interesting designations than common- 
place John Smith. 

The evidences of John Smith’s eccentricity re- 
ceived an important addition, when, early in the 
morning after the despatch of her telegram, Miss 
Marshall received an acknowledgment : Thanks. 
You got everything in.” 

Either Camp Sixty-Nine was very near town, or 
else Boss Smith had gone in himself after the ex- 
pected message. 

Having acknowledged it, in a useless and tanta- 
lizingly non-committal message, John Smith did 
nothing more. Four days passed. It had been 
340 


A BOY AND A DOG 


decided to delay the final arrangements for Timmy 
until the last possible moment, and to make them 
at the last bungalow party, which Miss Marshall 
was giving as her annual farewell treat to her girls. 
So, to give Boss Smith as long as possible to write 
what he knew of Timmy or wanted with him, the 
bungalow party was postponed until the end of the 
last week. The seniors obligingly shifted their 
play to the earlier day originally reserved for the 
bungalow party. This really made an ideal ar- 
rangement, they decided ; a day of irresponsible 
frivolity between the wearing strain of the play 
and class-day exercises on the one side, and the 
gravity of commencement and the wear and tear 
of packing on the other. 

But on the day before the bungalow party poor 
Plain Mary was thrown into an agony of indecision 
and dismay by the receipt of a letter from her 
guardian. He was coming to pay his patient a 
much-postponed visit, and he wished to take the 
usual motoring-party for a final ride. Miss Dutton 
might perhaps be too busy to come, at this critical 
point in the year’s work ; but Mrs. Barton had 
promised to chaperon the party. 

Sadly Mary sought help from the ingenuity of 
Jane and the sympathy of Nancy. 

“ Of course you must go to Miss Marshall’s 
party,” she said, “ but what am I to do ? Her 

341 


NANCr LEWS SPRING TERM 


invitation came to me first, but there^s no time to 
tell Dr. Jim, and I think I ought to stay and do 
my best to act as if I hated bungalow picnics. Of 
course I want to see him — I love to have him 
come to see me. But why did he choose to- 
morrow ? 

Jane stared hard at Plain Mary, whose sorrow 
and confusion of mind made her look very plain 
indeed. 

Why, so Miss Marshall can ask him to the 
bungalow ! she cried. I’ll go and see her about 
it this minute, if you’re too shy to propose it.” 

So it happened that the Ogre motored out to 
Fair Oaks, carrying Timmy Lee Marshall, — who 
was too small and too precious to be rushed around 
on stuffy railway-trains, — Mary Ann, — who could 
not be amicably separated from Timmy, — Miss 
Marshall, Plain Mary, Nancy, Jane, and the 
Princess. 

Miss Marshall had asked the Princess to come 
too, because she deserved some return for all that 
she had done for Timmy and the girls. Besides, 
if one of the two bidders for Timmy was to be on 
hand at the end of the Auction, it seemed only 
fitting to ask the other. And both the guests of 
honor had accepted with a zestful promptness 
which assured Miss Marshall that her invitation 
was appreciated. 


342 


CHAPTER XX 


DISCOVERED : THE REAL PRINCE 

The select motor-party, as Jane proudly called it, 
arrived at Seldom Inn ” just ahead of the train- 
and-foot brigade.” The Princess had not been so 
far from home since her illness, but she was not 
tired at all, she said, by the long ride. She rode 
in front beside the Ogre, looking distractingly 
pretty in a big gray ulster and a little gray hat, 
with a bunch of her favorite purple pansies for its 
only trimming. 

Even I could make a hat like that,” sighed 
Jane admiringly. 

If you can, you’d better start a shop in New 
York, and make your fortune,” jeered Nancy. 

The person who trimmed that can make flowers 
look as if they grew on a hat, just as Lloyd has 
made her wild garden out here grow into the 
wood. That’s millinery genius.” 

Wish I had genius in some direction ! ” sighed 
Jane. It looks so nice and easy.” 

Lloyd worked hard and got very grubby,” 
Nancy reminded her. 


343 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 

Jane grinned. “ Don't I know I I'm — well, to 
speak modestly, a near-genius at understanding 
people. I can almost make them grow — in my 
head, I mean. And if you think that's easy, 
kindly try it." 

Just then the rest of the party appeared, troop- 
ing down the short-cut path. Lloyd was ahead, 
walking with her easy swinging stride. At the 
edge of the clearing around the bungalow, she 
stopped and peered anxiously at something in 
the bungalow yard. Then, with a muttered, I 
thought so ! " she hurried on to find the Princess 
and Miss Marshall. 

“ Please come I " she begged. My lady-slippers 
have blossomed for you." 

It wasn't exactly a fiower bed that she showed 
them. Under a scraggly, spreading pine, scattered 
about on the carpet of pine-needles, swayed and 
fluttered a dozen slender green stalks topped by 
dainty, pink-and-white slippers." 

An old man that Miss Dutton and I met in 
the woods the day Timmy was found showed them 
to me," Lloyd explained, and told me how to 
make them — happy in my garden — your garden. 
Miss Marshall. I'm so glad they've blossomed for 
to-day." 

“ You must tell me all about my — our garden, 
Lloyd," said Miss Marshall, smiling up at the tall, 
344 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 


eager girl. “ If you don’t, I shall be sure to miss 
something lovely. To think that we might all 
have missed these fascinating butterfly blossoms ! 
They’re not slippers ; they’re slipper fairies — like 
the fairies at Timmy’s party.” 

I’ve made you a map of the garden,” explained 
Lloyd slyly, “ with the dates when you ought to 
be looking out for things. But the dates aren’t 
sure. I think' the fun of a wild garden is in 
having to hunt for the flowers. I’m going to 
plant one all up and down Lost Canyon — out on 
father’s ranch, I mean. I have a lot of plants 
from these woods ^ heeled in ’ down by the brook,” 
— she waved at the wood behind the bungalow — 

that I’m going to take home with me. I think 
they’ll grow in Lost Canyon, if Pete and I coddle 
them a little at first.” 

The Princess was delighted with Lloyd’s garden 
map. “ I shall make one of my gardens, to look 
at in the winter when the snow has covered the 
beds, and I’m lonely. Then I shall take out my 
map, and plan new borders and new color-schemes 
for the spring. And when I have to add new 
countries to my garden map, I shall be as prou(^ 
as an arctic explorer, and much happier. Some 
time, Lloyd, will you hunt me one fairy slipper 
for my wild garden — just one — to remember to-day 
by?” 


345 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


After inspecting the garden, some of the girls 
walked up the brook to a tiny cascade that Miss 
Dutton and Lloyd had discovered, and others went 
as far as they had time for on the wandering, fas- 
cinating path to Little Bubble. Nancy was one of 
these, for she wanted to find the fork where she 
had been lost the other time. The twins and 
Lloyd, too, chose this path, Jane promising to show 
Lloyd the swamp where they had seen one tiny 
yellow lady’s slipper the other day. This time 
Nancy Lee kept a strict eye on her watch, which 
she had made sure, before starting, was exactly 
right; and she insisted upon turning back even 
before the others thought it really necessary. 

^‘Something might happen,” protested Nancy 
wisely. 

“ Yes,” cried little Jeanne, who had come with 
Lloyd, it seems a cinch to get back, but the boy 
he don’t always guess right the very first time.” 

Hear ! Hear I ” cried Jane Learned excitedly. 

Where’s Nancy Lee? Now, N. Lee, will you 
preach to me about keeping Mademoiselle Du- 
rand’s English pure and undefiled? All these 
months I’ve skulked in the offing, out of her hear- 
ing, because I’m too slangy to associate with her. 
And listen to the results I Hereafter I shall thrust 
.myself in her path. I shall babble cheerfully in 
her presence. I shall teach her the newest rag- 
34b 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 

time songs and the latest jists from Broadway — 
because if I don’t somebody else will.” 

Vera Lawson and Kittie came up just in time to 
hear this absurd speech and to translate it glibly 
to Jeanne, whose face lighted as she understood 
the real motive behind Jane’s seeming unfriendli- 
ness. 

“ You know now why I suggested such a silly 
thing,” Vera whispered to Nancy. “ It was when 
I believed in the chateau and all that. I wanted 
to keep Jeanne to myself, — to be first with her, 
— and I thought that if the twins were intimate 
with her, they might break up our friendship.” 

Well, it really didn’t do any harm,” said Nancy 
comfortingly. She was more sorry for Vera than 
ever, since the interview with Miss Marshall that 
had ended in the restoration of the amount of the 
Timmy collection. Before that, her sympathy had 
been only a vague response to Vera’s discontent 
and restless unhappiness. But now she knew just 
where that discontent and unrest had led Vera, and 
she could guess how hard these last days at Fair 
Oaks must be for her. And nobody else knew or 
guessed — not even the omniscient Jane. 

Before lunch Kittie Westervelt surprised her 
friends and sent the head of the Fault Factory off 
to the trellised piazza, there to indulge in a trium- 
phant “ cavorting of the Frabjous Tortoise without 
347 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


his shell, poor dear ! What Kittie did was merely 
to demonstrate her changed spirit by asking of 
Miss Marshall the privilege of washing the lunch- 
eon dishes. 

Jane would have been driven to going through 
her Tortoise Dance a second time if she had known 
Kittie's motive in making her offer. 

I’ll get ahead of Jane Learned for once,” Kittie 
had decided. “ If I offer to wash dishes, Jane 
can’t plan it. To be sure, I shall have to wash the 
dishes just the same, but I shall get ahead of Jane.” 

Lloyd was a loyal helper to her roommate, 
scouring tins before she handed them to Kittie to 
rinse out, and scraping all the dishes so neatly 
that Kittie’s labors were lightened by half. As 
for Jane, she showed her admiration of Kittie’s 
energy by making the whole party, not excepting 
the guests of honor, use as few dishes as possible 
for their meal. 

“ Let our motto be : ^ We live to eat but not to 
wash dishes,’ ” declaimed Jane. It rests with 
the educated woman — that’s us — to simplify the 
drudgery of living so that she can have time to — 
oh, to vote, of course,” ended Jane with a chuckle, 
'‘or else to be an anti, just as she pleases. But 
she can’t do either intelligently if she’s a house- 
hold drudge.” 

" Hear ! Hear ! ” cried Billy Bray. " How 
348 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 


many dishes did we wash and wipe during our 
senior Saturday party out here ? It was over three 
hundred, wasn’t it, Vera ? ” 

Vera nodded. “And we thought it would be a 
good thing if every girl could have a little house 
of her own to manage for a while — for fun, before 
she had to manage one in earnest. Then she 
would know about the work involved in house- 
keeping.” 

“ And the servant problem would be on the way 
to a fair solution,” put in Miss Marshall quickly. 

“ It would be great to learn to do things in your 
own little house,” said Nancy, resolving to have 
one, and soon, though the ways and means of so 
doing seemed at present very far off. 

“ You shall have one, Mary,” the Ogre promised 
his ward smilingly. “ Say the word, and I’ll build 
you a house-in- the- woods on my Berkshire farm. 
And as soon as you’ve learned to make good corn- 
meal griddle cakes and coffee, and mastered the 
crisping of bacon. I’ll come and spend a day with 
you.” 

“ Oh, thank you ! ” said Plain Mary, divided be- 
tween anticipation and dismay. Mary’s orphaned 
childhood had left her nothing to lean upon in 
a housekeeping experiment, save the Domestic 
Science courses of one or two boarding-schools ; 
and Mary was sensible enough to recognize the 
349 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


practical gaps in this theoretical training. But all 
the girls were envying her noisily, and some time 
of course she might have to keep house on a 
grown-up scale — perhaps Dr. Jim might even want 
her to do it for him. So dizzying bliss and aw- 
ful responsibility fought for the possession of Plain 
Mary, until Nancy Lee leaned over and whispered, 
“ There^s a nice old caretaker at that farm. Vera’s 
brother told me so. She’ll help you.” And at 
that, dizzying bliss triumphed. 

After luncheon it had been decided that the 
business of the day should be transacted. The 
guests of honor tactfully withdrew to inspect the 
beauties of the Bubble Pond trail, the Princess de- 
claring that she felt quite equal to rivaling Nancy’s 
proud achievement in mountaineering. 

Then, after they had gone off on the supposi- 
tion that the business was to be transacted at once, 
Kittie Westervelt burned her finger over the tea- 
kettle, in a final effort at tidying up the kitchen ; 
and before she had been revived and bandaged, 
Timmy walked into the lake. He had wet only 
his feet and his skirt bottoms, when Mary Ann, 
who had been rendering first aid to the injured 
Kittie, spied her darling in danger and ran shriek- 
ing to rescue him. But Timmy shrieked too in 
sympathy, and the building up of a roaring fire, to 
make him a hot drink and dry him off by, with 
350 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 


subsequent discussions of what might have hap- 
pened to the Finest Baby, took time. So, just as 
the Timmy Auction had finally convened on the 
piazza, Jane Learned, who had sharp eyes, dis- 
cerned the Princess and the Ogre walking, in bliss- 
ful unconsciousness of observers, back down the 
winding trail from Little Bubble. Perhaps the 
Princess was tired, though she did not look it ; at 
any rate the Princess and the Ogre were walking 
hand in hand, exactly like two happy children. 

When they observed their nearness to civiliza- 
tion in the shape of Seldom Inn,^’ they advanced 
in a more conventional manner ; but the contented 
look of happy comradeship remained on their faces, 
and somehow it made everybody on the piazza stop 
talking to smile at the gay little Princess and the 
tall, handsome Ogre, who looked down at her with 
such an anxious, protecting air, when her foot 
tripped on a gnarled root just as she came close to 
the piazza. 

Well,’^ demanded the Princess, to fill the little 
expectant pause, have you decided all about the 
darling baby ? 

We haven't decided anything, because ” 

All talking at once, they burst into a flood of ex- 
planation about Kittie's finger and Timmy’s at- 
tempt to go swimming in the lake. 

“ The darling ! ” cried the Princess. Let’s go 

351 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


in and play with him, Dr. Jim, while they decide 
between us.’^ Suddenly a soft pink flush spread 
over the Princess’s face. We’re making them a 
lot of trouble for nothing, aren’t we? Perhaps 
we’d better tell them. That is, if you’re sure ” 

The look the Ogre gave her in response assured 
everybody present that there was at least one thing 
he was perfectly sure of. Tell them by all means,” 
he said gravely. 

‘‘ Well, then,” the Princess turned to face her 
audience, which was fairly on tiptoe with excite- 
ment and curiosity, well, then, — first let me be 
quite sure that I understand how you girls feel. 
As I understand it, you think I might be a good 
enough mother for your baby ; but you think he 
also needs a father.” 

Murmurs of assent from the audience. 

“ And of course you think Dr. Jim would be a 
perfectly splendid father ; only a baby needs a 
mother too.” 

More murmurs, and Mildred Wallace made them 
articulate by chirping, “ We really want you both 
to have him.” 

“ Splendid ! ” cried the little Princess joyously. 

Because that’s what we want you to do. Give 
him to us both.” 

“ But how can we ? ” pursued Mildred solemnly. 
“ Because changes are bad for little children. He 
352 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 

couldn’t keep moving back and forth from one of 
you to the other ; and he mustn’t be forever hav- 
ing new nurses.” 

Or different milk to drink,” contributed little 
Christina, and was prodded violently by Jane, who, 
as usual, had put two and two together, and under- 
stood exactly how matters stood. 

No, of course he couldn’t,” smiled the 
Princess, undismayed by these glaring obstacles to 
her plan, “ and he wouldn’t have to. Because you 
see, I’m — I’m going to be married to Dr. Jim — to- 
morrow morning, in my garden. And then — 
everything will be all right.” 

It would I The Timmy Auction resolved itself 
into an uproar of congratulations, with an under- 
tone of romantic satisfaction, reveled in as only 
girls in their teens can revel in romance. Finally, 
having bestowed Timmy upon the guests of honor, 
as the most valuable, delightful, and beautiful of 
wedding gifts, the Auction adjourned, with but one 
regret. 

“ They don’t either of them need him so much 
now,” said Margaret Lewis, ^'because they have each 
other ; and Timmy doesn’t need our money. He’ll 
have more than is good for him, maybe, without it.” 

“ Well, that means we must find another Timmy, 
doesn’t it ? ” said Nancy. And choosing him will 
be fun.” 


353 


NANCT LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Another Timmy ! ’’ objected Christina plain- 
tively. 

“ Never mind, Christina,'^ said Jane. We 
contributed only sixty-six cents for ‘ another 
Timmy ^ 1 We ought to be able to find a child 
that’s worth sixty-six cents to the Terrible 
Twins.” 

In all, though, we have a lot of money,” said 
Margaret Lewis thoughtfully, “ and we have 
pledged ourselves to all the givers to see that it 
goes to help a worthy baby — though all babies are 
worthy, aren’t they, poor little mites I Well, you 
know what I mean. Now how are we going to 
choose the new baby ? ” 

Not by a general caucus,” declared Billy Bray, 
who had joined the group. It’s too difficult. 
Some would insist on dark hair, and some on 
blond curls. Kittie Wester velt would rule out 
bow-legged babies, Christina and Nancy would 
base their choices on ‘ cuteness,’ and Jane and I 
should select the forlornest, raggedest, homeliest 
baby in the lot, shouldn’t we, Jane? Only I 
shan’t be here to help choose,” added Billy, with a 
wistful sigh. 

You must come back next fall for the choos- 
ing,” said Jane. Only, as you say, we mustn’t 
have one, because it mightn’t end as wonderfully 
as the Auction has.” 


354 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 


We could leave it to Miss Marshall/^ suggested 
Margaret. 

“ Oh, why not leave it to Miss Cripps ? cried 
Nancy. “ She’d love to choose us a baby.” 

“ She’d probably choose my kind,” warned Billy. 

Forlorn and scrawny and cross-eyed.” 

But she’d have such a glorious time doing it,” 
urged Nancy. And she needs it — the fun and the 
interest. She’s not like Mrs. Barton and Dr. Jim, 
who’ve got each other. I can’t really feel that we 
ought to have given her Timmy, but we can give 
her the chance to choose us a new Timmy. Let’s ! ” 
All right,” said Jane. I’ll push her candi- 
dacy, N. Lee, and you know what that means. I 
say, isn’t Timmy in luck, though, to get both those 
two to look out for him — and spoil him, probably. 
And great hat, girls ! Think of Plain Mary’s 
luck I Mrs. Barton will be her guardianess.” 

“ I wonder if she’s thought of that,” said Mar- 
garet, who remembered that Plain Mary’s face had 
been rather sober when the Princess made her 
astounding announcement. 

But if Mary had descended from her pinnacle of 
dizzying bliss over the little house she was to have, 
to a depth of gone ” feeling, because her adored 
guardian was going to be married and would soon 
have no more thought to spare for her — if Mary 
had felt that way just at first, by the time her 
355 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

friends confronted her with Jane’s cheering sug- 
gestion, Mary was for a second time up on her pin- 
nacle. 

The Princess has asked me to visit her for all 
summer,” she confided to them joyously. Think 
of that ! And she’s promised me a pink chiffon 
dress like Vera’s. She said I could have anything 
I wanted most, and I’ve always wanted one lovely, 
becoming dress.” 

“ Now you’ve got a guardianess, you can have 
all your dresses pretty and becoming,” said Nancy. 
“ It’s just as easy as the other way.” 

“ Only of course,” warned Jane Learned, they 
won’t always turn out the way you’ve dreamed of 
having ’em, even for a guardianess or a fairy god- 
mother.” Jane knew how the things that looked 
lovely in fashion-books always looked lovely on 
Christina, but were frights ” on her ; and she 
couldn’t bear to have Plain Mary confront herself 
in a dress modeled on Vera’s, without a hint that 
it mightn’t look quite the same. 

^‘Tickled pink, isn’t she ?” whispered Jane to 
Nancy, and gave Mary one more warning, this 
time a joking one in the interests of the Fault 
Factory. Mary,” she said, ‘'judged by the fairy 
parties, the eats at the Castle are rather extra good. 
Don’t make too many exceptions to the rules for 
becoming an airy fairy sylph. I shall require you 
35b 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 


to give ail account of yourself in the fall, and if 
you^re caught losing your desire to please the Ogre 
by your slender, phantom-like appearance, I shall 
christen you Puff-ball — sure as anything. So con- 
sider the rotund mushroom and be warned in 
time.^^ 

Just as it was time to go home, little Sarah ap- 
peared at Nancy^s side with a bottle full of water 
and wriggling tadpoles. 

“See, Nancy dear? Aren't they dear little 
ones? I thought I’d get some to take home. It 
will be fun to see them lose their tails and get 
their legs. Besides, Annette will like to watch 
them swimming around inside the glass. Do you 
s’pose the Princess would like some for Prince 
Charming ? ’Cause I’ve got plenty to give him 
some — for a kind of a wedding present, you see.” 

Nancy laughed heartily. “ Don’t you think 
they’ll be rather messy to take home to Annette, 
dear? And aren’t you afraid they’ll be unhappy 
in a bottle, when they’re used to having the whole 
brook to play around in ? If we were to go and 
put them back, I’m sure they’d dance on their 
tails for joy. Let’s do it.” 

When the tadpoles had been returned to their 
native element, Sarah looked up into Nancy’s face 
solemnly. “ Tell me again, Nancy, ’zactly what’s 
an ogre.” 


357 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Nancy explained gravely, while Sarah nodded 
vigorous comprehension. 

“ Then it was awfully silly of Jane to name him 
that — Dr. Jim, I mean,^’ announced little Sarah 
emphatically. “ I knew it was wrong, ’cause the 
ogres in the stories never marry the princesses. 
The prince comes along and kills the ogre and 
then he marries the princess his own self. But in 
our story the Ogre is the prince, and what can 
Prince Charming be? ” 

Why, he’s another prince,” explained Nancy, 
only he doesn’t marry the Princess. He just 
drives away the bad fairy, and looks out for her 
in all kinds of ways, and keeps her cheered up 
and happy, until a splendider prince comes along, 
looking like an ogre. And the splendider prince 
is Dr. Jim.” 

Sarah sighed. “ I should be awful sorry for 
Prince Charming if he wasn’t a kitten,” she said. 

That night the W. W.’s held a final meeting in 
the Unmixed Study. There were no lessons to 
learn, except an extra algebra test for poor Chris- 
tina. But Christina was much too sleepy to study, 
and the other W. W.’s were too tired, after the long 
day out-of-doors, to be very energetic in the matter 
of coaching her. They kept at it doggedly, never- 
theless, until poor Christina, having bathed her 
face for a third time in cold water and gone over 
358 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 


her formulas once more, declared in an awestruck 
voice that she really did understand now. 

Well, that's the wonderfulest Wonder we're 
likely to achieve in many moons," sighed Jane, to 
whom the slower processes of her twin's mind 
were shrouded in mystery. Now we'd better 
ratify the Wonder that has dropped on us out of 
the sky. Of course mere human Wonder Workers 
needn't expect to succeed where a Prince, a 
Princess, and an Ogre — misnamed by me — not 
to mention an Enchanted Castle and Fairy 
Gardens, are concerned. So I move that, as the 
W. W.'s didn't work a Wonder for Timmy they 
ratify the Wonder that " 

That love worked," Margaret Lewis took up 
the tale. 

“ Weren't you awfully surprised ? " asked Grace 
Allen. “ Or perhaps you girls who knew them 
better had noticed something." 

“ No indeed," cried Nancy. You could have 
knocked me over with a feather when Mrs. Barton 
told us." 

“ And me too." 

Same here," repeated all the older girls. 

Little Sarah had listened with solemn interest 
to the conversation, occasionally demanding whis- 
pered explanations from Nancy or Christina — her 
two favorites. 


359 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Now she stared in scornful amazement from one 
big girl to another, who had confessed amaze- 
ment at the Princess’s announcement. 

“ Umph I ” she shrilled at last. '' I wasn’t sur- 
prised. I knew all the time how it would be ! 
Do you s’pose I didn’t guess the Ogre was 
only Prince Charming without his disguise ” — 
Sarah stumbled bravely over the queer word. I 
may be little, but I understand ’bout fairy stories, 
and I see you others don’t. And to-day I asked 
Nancy all about ogres, to be sure I was right.” 

“ Am I interrupting ? ” Plain Mary stuck a 
radiant face in at the door. Girls, if you were 
going to a wedding to-morrow morning, — and had 
my clothes, — what would you wear ? ” 

“ Umph ! ” shrilled Sarah again. I c’n guess 
that too I I know what wedding you mean, Mary 
Smith.” And the smallest W. W. hopped con- 
tentedly off to bed. But the sight of a note on 
her dresser, inviting her to the Princess’s wedding 
at half-past seven the next morning, sent young 
Sarah hastily back in search of Nancy. 

Oh, you have an invitation too I ” she piped, 
at sight of Nancy busily reading her note. ‘‘ Does 
yours say half-past seven too, Nancy ? Isn’t that a 
funny time to be married ? Is Plain Mary going 
to wear her bestest dress ? I am. And I’m going 
to take a bestest bow over for Prince Charming, 
360 


DISCOVERED: THE REAL PRINCE 


’cause maybe the Princess wouldn’t think to have 
one ready.” 

I’m almost through being on probation,” 
Nancy wrote in the Red Journal that night. Just 
one more day and a morning. I don’t believe 
they count, either, because it’s impossible to pack 
without some confusion, and everybody has begun 
already except me. I was forehanded once, and 
that was enough for me. 

“ Vera says the Princess was married to Mr. 
Barton when she was seventeen, and he was killed 
the day her little girl Alice was born — his riding 
horse threw him. That was seventeen years ago, 
Vera says. I think the Princess is going to be 
very happy, and Dr. Jim, and Timmy. To think 
how I wished Mary Raftery would send for him— 
just because that would settle it all easily, and now 
it’s settled easily and splendidly too. 

N. B. I just happened to think that maybe 
Timmy’s mother is lying awake this minute, 
crying for her darling baby. But of course you 
can’t tell. As Miss Marshall said, we’ve done our 
very best to find her, and that’s all we can do. 
I’m going to remember that. I guess the first part 
— about doing your very best — is what I’m likely 
to need. Still, I do worry sometimes, and it’s 
always foolish — if you’ve done your very best 
first.” 


361 


CHAPTER XXI 


HOME AND MOTHER FOE TIMMY 

The three original Real Girls and Plain Mary, 
all in what Sarah called their bestest best,’^ met 
at twenty minutes past seven under the Crooked 
Elm, and went over to see the Princess married to 
the Splendidest Prince among her roses. Sarah 
looked a little pensive during the ceremony, be- 
cause Prince Charming had carelessly hidden from 
her under the piazza, and could not, therefore, be 
decked with the enormous bow of pink ribbon that 
she had tucked into her sleeve for him and then 
carried, hanging over her shoulder, to the other 
Prince’s wedding. But when it all was over, Sarah 
whispered to Nancy that if there wasn’t any more 
to being married than that, she guessed Prince 
Charming wouldn’t mind missing it. 

Why did you get up so early to have such a 
tiny little short wedding ? ” Sarah demanded cu- 
riously, when it was her turn to go up and kiss 
the Princess. 

The Princess laughed merrily. “ So the dew 
could come to my wedding, little Real Girl. My 
roses are never so lovely as early in the morning. 

362 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 


Come and see ! ” The Princess led Sarah from 
one blossom-starred bush to another, and all the 
buds and flowers, fresh and sparkling after their 
night of dew, justified the Princess’s account of 
their morning loveliness. 

“ And now we ought to be going,” said Nancy 
at last, catching little Sarah as she sjkipped by in 
fresh pursuit of Prince Charming. 

Oh, but you’re to stay for breakfast,” the Real 
Prince assured her earnestly. And the Princess 
said of course they were to stay. Hadn’t she put 
it in the notes? Well, she knew Miss Marshall 
would understand it that way, but to make quite 
sure John should telephone. 

So the original Real Girls and Plain Mary sat 
down with the Prince and the Princess to a 
wedding breakfast that began with luscious straw- 
berries and whipped cream and went on through 
birds’ nests ” (which are only eggs, beaten and 
then baked to look like a whitey brown nest with 
browny-yellow eggs in it, built on a slice of toast) 
and the most delicate marmalade, also on toast, to 
waffles and maple syrup. Prince Charming sat on 
the floor between the Princess and little Sarah and 
lapped cream out of a silver bowl, until even his 
greedy little kittenship could lap no more. So 
then he jumped into little Sarah’s chair, which was 
much too big for her, and snuggled down between 
3b3 


NANCY LEE'S SPRING TERM 


her and the chair-back for a morning snooze. 
Therefore little Sarah sat gingerly on the very 
edge of the chair, and ate waffles very slowly and 
carefully for fear of tipping over. Thus was Prince 
Charming, with his usual fairylike gifts for look- 
ing after his friends, the means of keeping little 
Sarah from eating herself sick over that delicious 
wedding breakfast. 

We^re all dressed for the graduation exercises,'^ 
announced Nancy happily, when at last, with 
promises to come again in the fall — except Plain 
Mary who was moving over to the Castle the very 
next day — the girls finally took their leave. If 
there’s any time left before the exercises,” added 
Nancy, Pm going to pack — or get ready to. If 
I put all my clothes in nice tidy piles on the bed 
this morning, I can tuck them into my trunk this 
afternoon in next to no time, and perhaps Mary 
Ann will let me take Timmy for a walk, instead 
of some girl who has a turn, but is too busy.” 

The course in baby-tending had formally ended 
a few days before ; but Timmy’s particular ad- 
mirers and most devoted slaves continued their 
tending whenever opportunity offered. 

I thought perhaps I could help Mary Ann 
move him and his things over to the Castle,” ex- 
plained Lloyd shyly. That is, if he moves to- 
morrow.” 


364 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMY 


“ He’s going to,” Nancy assured her. '' And 
somebody will certainly have to help. Mary Ann 
couldn’t manage Timmy and his pram and his 
high chair and all his clothes and things. And 
she’ll be too busy to care about running back and 
forth very many times. Oh, dear, I guess I’ll 
plan to try to help too — if you don’t mind, 
Lloyd.” 

Of course I don’t,” Lloyd told her. “ Any- 
thing is twice the fun if you do it too, Nancy.” 

The dormitory seemed very quiet as the three 
girls, having left Mary at the Junior Cottage, en- 
tered it. But little Sarah scurried off to her room, 
and Lloyd and Nancy climbed to their floor un- 
suspectingly. The twins were out ; Nancy laughed 
at Jane’s packing, which already, in its initial 
stages, was “ all over the place.” 

We had such a good time, Grace,” she called, 
disappointed at not finding the twins there to 
listen to her account of the wedding. Grace wasn’t 
at home either. Her little bedroom was in per- 
fect order, but somehow Nancy had a feeling that 
Grace had left it suddenly and in a hurry. A 
tipped-over pile of handkerchiefs on the bed and a 
petticoat drifting limply off a chair, spelled, in 
Grace’s room, as much turmoil and excitement as 
did Jane’s all-over-the-place ” packing in the Un- 
mixed Study. 

365 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

Vaguely disturbed by the lack of opportunity for 
conversation when she was fairly bursting with 
news of the wedding, Nancy wandered back to her 
own quarters and began a desultory attack on the 
contents of her bureau. She had pulled out all 
her shirt-waists, and reviewed despairingly the 
heterogeneous contents of her upper drawers, be- 
fore she gave up her efforts. 

I feel as if something was going on some- 
where,^^ she thought. “ Maybe all our watches 
and clocks are slow and it’s time to go to the 
chapel-hall to see the seniors graduate. I’m going 
to find Lloyd, or somebody. I can’t bear to miss 
the very last good times of this lovely, exciting 
spring term.” With which declaration of her in- 
tentions, Nancy ran off down the silent, echoing 
corridor in search of Lloyd. At the head of the 
stairs she beheld a friend : Cook, fat and com- 
pletely winded by her long climb up two flights of 
stairs, waved wildly and quite incoherently at 
Nancy, with a gesture that seemed half to beckon 
and half to warn her away. Nancy decided to 
stand her ground and see what happened next. 
Meanwhile Lloyd, hearing steps in the hall, re- 
membered vaguely that there was something to go 
to that morning and came out to ask for details. 
Lloyd had not been troubled by the silence or the 
lack of companionship ; instead she had felt very 
366 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 


much at home and had worked so busily that her 
small trunk was practically packed already. 

At sight of Cookes fat, waddling figure, making 
signals of distress, she stopped, as Nancy had done, 
to await developments. 

“ Shure, I’m sent for yez,” wheezed Cook, when 
she had recovered her breath. “ That new parlor- 
girl, she was posted at the door to tell yez. But 
she got cryin’ ’bout the babby, pore thing, and so 
she kem down to be cryin’ wid me. An’ betwain 
us we fergot yez. Hustle along now to yer gymna- 
sium, an’ ye’ll hear th’ awful, awful news ! ” 

Oh, Cook, what is it ? ” demanded Nancy, her 
gray eyes round with terror. 

Is somebody hurt or dead ? ” asked Lloyd 
solemnly. 

“ Might as well be,” moaned Cook, rolling her 
eyes mournfully. It’s little Timmy as ” 

Nancy gave a gasp of horror, and Lloyd turned 
deadly pale under her tan. 

As is goin’ to be tuk from those — as — luv — 
him,” sobbed Cook. I don’t know the rights uv 
it at all, but his ma’s wrote — or his pa’s telly- 
phoned, an’ he’s goin’ out to Michigan. An’ 
what’ll become uv me an’ Mary Ann ? ” Cook 
wiped her eyes on her sleeve and faced her be- 
wildered audience with the proud air of a martyr 
defending his cause. 

367 


NANCr LEE'S SPRING TERM 


Is his mother Mary Raftery ? " demanded 
Nancy swiftly. Then, observing Cook’s tendency 
to lapse into the use of inchoate gestures, she caught 
Lloyd’s hand and started with her down-stairs. 

Thank you a thousand times, Cook, for remem- 
bering us,” she called back. We’ll find out the 
^ rights of it all,’ and we’ll come back and tell you. 
Sit down in my study and rest.” 

Arrived at the gymnasium, the two spent but a 
minute in getting Cook’s vague story confirmed. 
Timmy’s mother had written, and she was Mary 
Raftery. Jno.” Smith had telegraphed, and he 
said that Mary Raftery was, beyond a doubt, the 
mother of the Finest Baby. 

In another minute Nancy, dragging Lloyd after 
her, was explaining to Miss Marshall why they had 
not come sooner, and Miss Marshall explained to 
Nancy, in return, how, having received the letter 
and the telegram directly after breakfast, she had 
decided to lay them before the school at once, before 
the seniors’ friends should arrive for the graduation 
exercises. 

“ Here are the documents,” she ended smilingly. 
'' Read those and then you will have caught up 
with the rest of us, and we can go on with our de- 
liberations and arrangements.” 

They read the letter first. It came first, Jane 
Learned explained over their shoulders. 

368 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 

And it’s not a letter,” said Jane. “ It’s a cry 
^ hymn of praise, and — well, I know what 
I mean, but I can’t say it. Just read for your- 
selves.” 

This is what Mary Raftery wrote, from Camp 
Sixty-Nine, R. F. D., Pine Ridge, Michigan : 

“ Joy be my baby’s found ! I’ll have something 
to live for now, and so will you that gave him 
back to me. How I’m to get the darlin’ I can’t 
think, but if you’d send him by the quare new 
mail, would he be cornin’ safe? I heard they do 
send babies that way. 

‘‘ I was working for Mr. Sefton, and it was his 
baby they meant to take — never my poor little 
Timmy. They were just of an age, those two, and 
I used to take care of his all the day, and run back 
to me own come night. My husband’s young sister 
done for him the whiles I must be gone. 

Mr. Sefton blamed me when those people tried 
to steal his Joey. He’s a hard man. He gave me 
a day to get away in, or me and my man would be 
jailed, he said. He promised fair and square to 
have Timmy searched for by the police, but I’m 
thinking he never done it. He was afraid, mebbe, 
they’d put it in the papers and somebody would 
try to steal Joey again, if he offered a reward for 
my baby. Besides, if he thought I was in with 
that gang, and the stealing of Timmy was just a 
blind, to persuade him I was straight, — why of 
course there wa’n’t no reason for him to be hunting 
Timmy for me. 


369 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


Mrs. Sefton was sick then. She never knew 
Timmy was taken. If she had, she^d have helped 
me, no matter what the old man said. 

“ Fm cook to this camp, and the boss he saw 
your ads. and knowing of my trouble he wrote. 
My husband and I, we read the letter you send 
back, and we hoped. But when we seen the pic- 
tures, specially the one where he^s layin’ on the 
grass and smilin^ — then we knew. 

All the facts corresponds. His real name is 
Timmy. The gypsy woman heard my husband’s 
sister call him that when she went in a store to 
trade. She got Timmy mixed with Joey mebbe, 
or mebbe she’d seen me wheelin’ Timmy on my 
afternoon out, and knowin’ I was the Sefton nurse 
she got in wrong. 

Oh, I want my baby so I Could you send him 
some way, and we’ll work us to the bone to pay 
you back ! 

Mary Raftery. 

‘‘ And me too. 

Patrick Raftery.” 


This letter Jno.” Smith had supplemented with 
one of his absurd messages with the blunt, mascu- 
line beginning and the feminine, finicky close, — 
the whole evidently delayed for some inexplicable 
reason and then hastily despatched by wire. 

“Mary Raftery honest, reliable, thrifty, good 
woman, good mother. Witnessed her identifica- 

370 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMY 

tion of photos, and am sure, after long questioning, 
no mistake possible. Patrick good fellow, but 
Mary man of family. Will gladly defray expense, 
you or your messenger and child, Fair Oaks to this 
place. No great hurry. 

Jno. Smith.^’ 


On a second yellow sheet was written only : 


Could meet Saturday’s train, making happy 
Sunday for the Rafterys. 


'' Smith.” 


Isn’t he nice and comical ! ” sighed Nancy. 

And isn’t she pathetic I ” added Lloyd. 

Oh, I do hope she’s nice ! ” said Nancy. 

And what does she mean by the ^ quare new 
mail ’ ? ” 

The parcel post, silly ! ” explained Jane, bob- 
bing up again at Nancy’s elbow. Haven’t you 
seen wild newspaper yarns of mailing babies by it ? 
Not for any long distances, though, like from here 
to Michigan.” 

“ Of course we couldn’t trust Timmy to any 
‘ quare new ’ thing,” said Lloyd solemnly. But 
what can we ” 

She stopped, because Miss Marshall was asking 
what she should reply to Mrs. Raftery and Jno.” 
Smith. 


371 


NANCY LEE'S SPRING TERM 


We don’t know much about him, and I think 
we ought to be sure they’re not trying to steal 
back Timmy,” suggested some one. 

That, Miss Marshall explained, had been at- 
tended to. Oddly enough. Miss Dutton’s best 
friend at college had married a lumber man, with 
large interests in Michigan. That very morning 
Miss Dutton had received a note from her, dated 
at Pine Ridge ; and already Miss Dutton had tele- 
graphed for ^‘Jno.” Smith’s credentials. Incase 
they were satisfactory, he ought to be regarded as 
a good voucher for Mary, and Timmy must go 
home. 

Maybe he’ll be happiest there,” chirped Mil- 
dred. “ He can play in those big woods, and he 
can go to college with the money we’ll raise for 
him, if the Rafterys can’t send him. And some 
day he can be President. According to the stories 
you hear, poor boys have a better chance than 
rich ones to be President.” 

“And to be happy,” smiled Miss Marshall. 
“ No, we needn’t pity Timmy, I think. And Dr. 
James and his wife can be happy without him. 
Now how shall we send Timmy to his mother? ” 
Lloyd Mallory, who had been whispering eagerly 
with Margaret Lewis, stood up suddenly. “ Let 
us Western girls take him home with us to-mor- 
row,” she said. “ Margaret and I needn’t go far 
372 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 


out of our way. We’d try very hard to take good 
care of him.” 

“ And we shouldn’t be wasting his money,” 
added Margaret practically. We’d love to do it, 
Miss Marshall, if you and the others think you 
could trust us. But if not — I think we girls want 
to pay the traveling expenses ourselves, because it’s 
a sort of ending to his visit here ; and Mr. Smith 
can do something else later on, if he wants to.” 

“ We can trust you to look after Timmy, all 
right,” retorted Jane Learned quickly, “ but can 
you talk like a Dutch uncle to Mary Raftery, if 
she happens to need it? And can you impress 
Boss Smith with the fearful responsibility that’s 
on his shoulders to look after both of the Rafterys 
and report to us if things go wrong? ” 

Oh, I couldn’t do all that ! ” gasped poor Lloyd. 

I’m afraid we couldn’t make a big enough 
impression on them,” agreed Margaret. They’d 
think we were nothing but little girls.” 

Then up rose Miss Margery Dutton, trying hard 
to look tall and dignified and impressive, and 
succeeding only in looking very young, and very, 
very pretty, but well-poised also, and equal to any 
emergency. 

Do you think I could talk like a Dutch 
uncle ? ” she demanded gaily. '' Or would a 
Dutch aunt cover the case ? Do you think I 
373 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


could impress Mary Raftery and her husband and 
Boss Smith — and the whole population of Camp 
Sixty-Nine, because it will probably need them all 
before long to look after Timmy — with his incal- 
culable preciousness and the pains they must take 
with him as a presidential possibility, and inci- 
dentally as the dearest treasure of Fair Oaks 
School for Girls ? Because my letter this morning 
was an invitation to join my friends, the Wat- 
sons, for a cruise up Lake Michigan, meeting them 
within a week at Pine Ridge. The invitation I’d 
already accepted, but the rendezvous hadn’t been 
arranged until now. So, if you think you can let 
me play the part of the Dutch aunt, everything 
will be easily arranged.’' 

Deafening applause greeted the conclusion of 
Miss Dutton’s speech. The girls loved her because 
she was young and pretty and full of fun ; they 
respected her because she made friends without 
losing a bit of her dignity ; and they admired 
her because she was equal to every emergency, 
from getting a dormitory dinner when Cook 
scalded her arm, to lecturing before learned socie- 
ties, and making a tremendous hit,” to quote 
Jane Learned, with all the lions that Miss Marshall 
lured to Fair Oaks to edify her lambs. Fair Oaks 
had no doubt about Miss Dutton’s ability to play 
Dutch aunt when she wanted to. 

374 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 

As for Lloyd and Margaret, they were both 
trained baby-tenders, — having graduated with 
honor from the course. There was no doubt, 
then, about their ability to perform what they had 
suggested. But pangs of envy shot through the 
heart of nearly every other girl in the gym. 

I wish I lived out there I sighed a super- 
cilious Boston maiden, who had been heard to 
boast that she had never traveled west of Fair 
Oaks ; and her wish was echoed by all the rest. 
But nobody wished she “ lived out there with 
quite so desperate a pang of hopeless longing as 
Nancy Lee. 

Timmy was her baby. She had found him and 
brought him to Fair Oaks and now somebody else 
was to take him home. She had been chosen to 
break the news to the Enchanted Castle. Then 
she must pack and go home like any other girl, 
while Lloyd and Margaret, those lucky Westerners, 
could take all the care of darling Timmy for a 
whole long glorious day, a whole dark night, and 
half a day more at least. Nobody knew how one 
got to Camp Sixty-Nine or how long it took. It 
might be necessary for Lloyd and Margaret to 
stay another day or two in Pine Ridge, until Miss 
Dutton had investigated the situation, played 
Dutch aunt if necessary, and decided that it was 
proper for Timmy to stay. And if she decided 
375 


NANCY LEE^S SPRING TERM 


that he shouldn't stay, perhaps they could bring 
him back to the Princess and the real Prince. It 
was glorious ! And it wasn't for Nancy. She 
was going home — it took three hours — with a 
cheque for father's forty-nine dollars and sixty- 
five cents in her hand-bag. She could go on 
the summer trip, she supposed. Father always 
planned lovely trips, and the house up in Maine, 
where they would go in a week or so, was all sorts 
of fun. And Nancy loved her family. But just 
now she could think of nothing but the proud 
privilege that was denied her of taking Timmy 
Lee Marshall to his mother. 

All through the graduation exercises Nancy 
thought about it, wriggling and twisting in her 
seat in a restless fashion quite unlike her ; and the 
minute the program was over she slipped ofi*, dis- 
regarding Jane's frantic signals and Grace's lifted 
brows, and ran over to the dormitory and up to 
her study. Of course she couldn't go home with 
Timmy. But she had neglected to tell her family 
what train she was coming on next afternoon. 
She would do that now, in a special delivery let- 
ter, instead of waiting to telegraph, as father had 
suggested she might, if it was more convenient. 
Incidentally she would write about Timmy, of 
course. And if father or mother understood, as 
they did wonderfully sometimes, though on other 
37d 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 


occasions they woefully failed to catch any of the 
deeper meanings hidden between the lines of their 
daughter's rather scrawly letters, — why, perhaps — 
Nancy dared not put her hope into words. Reso- 
lutely, having despatched her letter and therein 
done her best, she determined not to worry, and 
threw herself with zest into the tumultuous pro- 
gram of her afternoon. This included much pack- 
ing at lightning speed, many leisurely good-byes, 
final conferences with the twins, Grace, and Plain 
Mary about their possible visits to her in Maine, 
an interview, accompanied by Timmy, with the 
Prince and Princess, who won her heart afresh 
by their disappointment at losing the Finest Baby, 
and by their prompt decision to delay a projected 
wedding journey for a final frolic with him. His 
mother, the Princess declared, couldn't love him 
much more than she did. 

“ But she probably needs him more, because she 
hasn't all the other things you have," said Nancy, 
in such a sorrowful voice that the Princess asked 
anxiously if getting up in time for the dewy wed- 
ding had been too much for her. 

'' Oh, no," said Nancy. '' It's only — Timmy." 

And the Princess nodded understandingly and 
hugged her hard for good-bye, when the frolic 
with Timmy was over. 

“ I had the fun of getting him. I ought to 
377 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


want those others to have the fun of taking him 
home/^ Nancy told herself. But then, they could 
have it just the same if I had it too.’^ 

Nancy had really forgotten Timmy for a while 
in the perplexities of packing, and she certainly 
was not expecting so quick an answer to her let- 
ter, when, just before dinner, Mary Ann, solemn 
and red-eyed, bustled up-stairs with a telegram. 
It was from father. If $49.65 pretty nearly 
covers it, go ahead and see that baby home.^^ 
Nancy sat down so hard on her trunk that 
wouldn’t shut that the recalcitrant cover slipped 
instantly into place. “ Oh, Mary Ann,” she 
said, reading the short message through again 
slowly ; I’m going to help take Timmy home — 

maybe. How much does it cost to get to Mich- 
igan ? ” 

“ Indade, I’d feel safer if you went along, miss,” 
said Mary Ann. Them other two ain’t learned 
how to keep the child contented like you and 
me can. But it costs a good deal, miss, to go 
way out to them forest-places.” 

I must find out this minute.” Nancy flew 
off to consult the resourceful Miss Dutton, who, 
having just paid for her own ticket to Pine Ridge, 
explained to Nancy that she could make the round 
trip easily Within her limit. 

^^Oh, Miss Dutton ! ” Nancy cried. Then I’m 
378 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 


going tool I couldn^t be trusted with Timmy 
alone, because I’m so careless ; but Mary Ann says 
that I’m one of the best to keep him amused. And 
there’ll be lots of that to do.” 

Lots,” agreed Miss Dutton. We shall all be 
glad to have you come.” 

Lloyd and Margaret were delighted at Nancy’s 
news. 

Things are always more fun if Nancy’s there, 
said Lloyd. 

“ And then she specially belongs in this thing,” 
added Margaret. ‘‘ Did Miss Dutton tell you that 
we’re all to stay over night with her friends ? ” 

Oh, but ” began Nancy. 

It’s all right,” Lloyd explained. Mrs. Wat- 
son thought six girls were coming, when she 
asked us. The message must have been mixed 
somehow.” 

The last minute for mine I It pays to wait,” 
sang Jane, when Nancy told her. That’s evi- 
dently your motto, N. Lee, and it seems to be Mrs. 
Raftery’s. I hope she’s as nice as you and me, 
who share her noble sentiments about last moments. 
I say, N. Lee, try not to go off and forget Timmy 
or yourself or any other important article.” 

Nancy laughed. “ I’m trying not to feel proud,” 
she said, because I certainly had a fall that other 
time when I got rather vain. And I’m never 
379 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


going to pack until the very last minute. I shall 
have to muss up my whole trunk now, getting out 
things I need for the Timmy trip.^^ 

And Nancy departed precipitately to repack. 
But first she went down to say a private farewell 
to Miss Marshall. 

Do I stop being on probation now, Miss 
Marshall?’’ she asked. She had come down 
earlier in the day, to secure Miss Marshall’s sanc- 
tion for joining the Pine Ridge party; but there 
had been others around then, and Nancy had not 
been able to discuss the probation matter, which 
she had taken very much to heart, and wished to 
have definitely settled. 

Miss Marshall smiled at her quizzically. 

You’ve kept the terms of the bond, haven’t 

you? No more red circles for Did I say 

for the rest of the term, Nancy ? ” 

I’m not sure,” said Nancy, blushing. It’s 
dreadful to forget an important point like that, 
isn’t it?” 

Miss Marshall smiled again. “ Well, I meant 
for the rest of the term,” she said. So no extra 
penalties will descend upon you unexpectedly, if 
you forget next year. But I expect you to keep 
trying, Nancy.” 

Nancy considered solemnly. Why, that’s a 
kind of probation, isn’t it ? ” 

380 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMY 


“ Yes/’ said Miss Marshall, the kind that 
makes us all amount to a little something — be- 
cause our friends believe in us and expect us to 
succeed. Now run and finish that all-to-do-over 
packing. And be sure to come back to us in the 
fall.” 

Up-stairs Lloyd was waiting to speak to Nancy. 
“Somebody else is coming with us to Pine Ridge,” 
she explained. “ It’s Jeanne Durand. I found 
that she has no place to spend her summer — her 
uncle travels, it seems, and she’d be very lonely, 
boarding in New York while he is off on his trips. 
She won’t begin her teaching before fall anyway, 
so I’ve invited her to visit me now.” Lloyd 
blushed violently. “If she asks you, Nancy, 
please try to let her think that visits in America 
begin when you get on the train. Father would 
like me to pay for both tickets — he’s told me that 
he’d rather I spent more money. I’m afraid I 
almost told her that it was customary to pay your 
guest’s fare in America.” 

“ You dear ! ” Nancy danced in a mad whirl 
of ecstasy around her hapless trunk. “ Wouldn’t 
it be great if everybody we like could go home 
with Timmy ? ” 

But Jeanne, delighted with her newest experience 
of American hospitality, was positively the last 
accession to Timmy’s guard of honor. 

381 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 

The next afternoon, laden with a busln.;! of 
toys and more than a bushel of advice,'^ to quote 
Jane Learned, and escorted by all the Fair 
girls w^ho had been ingenious enough to ^ ont 
excuses for delaying their own departures until 
after Timmy’s, the Timmy-party started on its 
proud journey. 

Nancy was the butt of endless jibes and warn- 
ings. 

We couldn’t have trusted you with our precious 
package.” 

'' Don’t lose any of the lovely toys we’ve brought 
for Timmy.” 

‘‘And don’t carelessly find another baby. Miss 
Cripps is the one to do that, remember, in case the 
Rafterys and ‘Jno.’ Smith can support Timmy 
without our help.” 

Nancy nodded gaily at Miss Cripps, who was 
evidently delighted with her commission — she was 
going to Boston at once to make a preliminary 
investigation — and blew on the biggest of Timmy’s 
six horns for silence. 

“ Three cheers for Timmy,” she suggested. 
“ You know you’re all glad I found him, no matter 
how much you try to tease.” 

To Jane, Nancy confided her latest discovery 
about the human mind. “ When you’ve got one 
thing that you’ve wanted awfully, you want an- 
382 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 


other. For instance, I'm going to help take 
Timmy home — now, Jane, you needn't repeat that 
silly joke about my not being trusted to wrap him 
up for the parcel post, because I'm tired of it. 
The point is, I wanted most awfully to help take 
Timmy home, and now that I've got that wish, 
why, I wish he didn't have to go home ! Fair 
Oaks won't seem half as nice next fall." 

There'll be the substitute baby, perhaps." 

‘^Jane!" Nancy's voice thrilled with dis- 
dain. 

‘‘ Well," said Jane calmly, of course we twins 
never did try two years at any little old school, 
but we're planning to come back here. That's 
a slight recommendation, but you're welcome 
to it." 

The train they were to take puffed noisily to a 
stop, and Nancy picked up the great basket of toys 
that was her present share of the responsibility of 
Timmy. 

Of course there's the summer first," continued 
Jane placidly. “ Anything may happen in a 
summer. Doesn't Sarah expect a final hug to 
carry her happily home to her beloved Annette ? " 

Nancy ran to the little girl, who was not going 
on the train with Timmy's party, and Jane grinned 
wickedly. 

Board ! " shouted the conductor of Nancy's 

383 


NANCr LEE^S SPRING TERM 


train nonchalantly. These rattle- brained school 
crowds bored him. 

Hurry, Nancy I Miss I - Forgot again I 
shrieked teasing Jane joyously, making a grab 
at Nancy’s big bundle and rushing her to the 
platform, where Lloyd and Jeanne stood, their 
eyes searching distractedly through the crowd for 
their tardy friend. 

Nancy sprang lightly up beside them, disap- 
peared for a moment, and returned with Timmy 
in her arms. 

The girls in the station waved and cheered, as 
the train pulled out. The girls on the platform 
waved back, and Timmy, pleased with the com- 
motion, grinned and waved both arms. 

Better come in, girls,” cautioned Miss Dutton, 
after a minute ; and Nancy, steadied by Margaret, 
returned Timmy to his snug corner and presented 
him with the block of wood that was his favorite 
plaything. The new toys could be tried at less 
critical moments. 

Then Nancy leaned over the baby to take a last 
look at Fair Oaks, nestled cozily among its green 
hills. 

'' It’s been a great term,” she said, straightening 
up and turning to the others. I wish it could 
begin to-morrow and go right over again. But 
perhaps this summer will be just as good fun. It’s 
384 


HOME AND MOTHER FOR TIMMT 


certainly starting well. Oh, girls, isn’t Timmy 
Lee Marshall a cherub, and aren’t you glad we can 
take him home ? ” 

“ Ummm,” agreed Timmy Lee Marshall, smiling 
rapturously at his favorite toy. 


Other Stories in this Series are: 
NANCY LEE 

NANCY LEE’S SUMMER VACATION 
(In Press) 


385 


SEP 4 1913 


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